IMPHAL, May 8: The JCILPS sponsored 42-hour State-wide public curfew ended peacefully at 6 pm today. However, the public curfew severely affected normal life in all the valley districts and Jiribam today as well. All shops, business establishments, banks and educa- tional institutes in all the four valley districts remained closed during the stir. Meanwhile the Thoubal Deputy Commissioner has directed all district level officers to station their staff in their respective offices in addition to chowkidars at night as there is a strong suspicion of arson and other subversive activities in view of the renewed agitation being spear- headed by JCILPS. On the other hand, the Bishnupur Deputy Commissioner has assigned magis- terial duty to seven SDCs with separate jurisdictions in connection with the public curfew which ended this evening. All the passenger and private vehicles remained off the roads while Government offices recorded extremely low attendance due to the public curfew. Major markets and streets wore deserted looks in Imphal and no inter-State and inter-district passenger vehicles came to the State capital. However, vehicles of essential service staff and on religious activities were seen plying on the roads. The impacts of the public curfew could be well witnessed on Uripok-Kangchup, Tiddim, Dingku, Khoyathong Thangmeiband and Kongba roads and Singjamei, Keishamthong, Kwakeithel, Moirangkhom and Wangkhei areas etc.
A late report informed that a torch rally was taken out tonight from Moirang Lamkhai to Moirang Bazar in support of the popular issue. Public curfew supporters came out on the streets blocked traffic movement in the respective localities by burning tyres, sitting in the middle of the road and placing boulders, bamboos etc. Locals of Uripok Yambem Leikai and Uripok Polem Leikai blocked Uripok-Kangchup road at Uripok Bijoy Govinda crossing by making human chains.
Similar protests could be seen at Uripok Sorbon Thin-gel, Naoremthong, Wangkhei Meihoubam Lampak, Akam-pat along Singjamei-Kongba road, Khongman crossing, Kongba bazar etc.Large number of police personnel were seen deployed at important junctions and security barricades were erected at different places. Police patrols were intensified during the public curfew. Some youths and children were also seen playing football, badminton and cricket on the empty streets and roads. No untoward incident was reported from any part of the State during the public curfew.On Imphal-Jiribam road, large number of people blocked roads at Awang Khunou, Sagoltongba and Khumbong etc.
