IMPHAL, May 6: The 42 hours public curfew called by the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has literally paralysed Manipur valley.
Normal life virtually came to a halt in all the four valley districts on account of the public curfew which came into effect since last midnight. With the inter-district transport services suspended, the public curfew has some impacts in the hill districts too.
All the market complexes and commercial establishments of Imphal remained shut while attendance at Government offices was miniscule.
The Secretariat bore a deserted look with majority of the employees staying away from their offices.
All modes of public transport services were suspended on the roads leading to the State capital with the exception of a few vehicles which were on emergency services or religious activities.
Timber and bamboo were put across many major roads of the town while tyres were burnt at different points by the bandh supporters.
Although flight service was not affected, people who went to and from Imphal airport experienced many hindrances.
A group of womenfolk (bandh supporters) partially blocked Tiddim Road by squatting in the middle. Similar blockades were also seen at Sega Road, Imphal-Moreh highway and Uripok-Kangchup road.
So far there is no report of any untoward incident. Meanwhile, police have been keeping a sharp vigil at different strategic and vulnerable points.
Thoubal and Bishnupur districts were also severely affected by the public curfew.
Used tyres were burnt in the middle of road at Nambol and a large group of women raised many slogans.
Jiribam bore a deserted look as the 42 hours public curfew called by the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System came into force from the midnight of May 5.
The curfew is backed by JCILPS, Jiribam branch at the sub-division.
Offices, schools, markets, shops and other establishments remained closed on the first day of the 42 hours public curfew.
At Thoubal, bandh supporters staged sit-ins at Kakching bazar, Thoubal bazar, Wangjing, Yairipok and other small markets within the district.
Banks, educational institutions and other establishments both Government and private, remained closed owing to the public curfew.
The public curfew will remain in force till 6 pm tomorrow and it has been called by the JCILPS in pursuit of the popular demands like conversion of the three Bills passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 31 last year into Acts and deletion of non-local people from the State’s electoral roll.
The area between Singjamei and Canchipur was worst affected because the 48 hours bandh called by the JACs in protest against the controversial death of Prasanta was in force till today in addition to the public curfew. Sagolsem Prasanta alias Abung of Kakwa Nameirakpam Leikai was found hung to death from a tree at Lilong Haoreibi Awang Leikai in the morning of April 26.
Urging the Government to establish facts and circumstances leading to Prasanta’s death, the JACs called a 48 hour bandh with effect from May 4 midnight, and the bandh was supported by AMUCO and UCM.
