IMPHAL, June 23: Normal life came to a grinding halt due to two different 48-hour statewide bandh in Manipur today.
The statewide bandh which was in force since intervening midnight of June 22 and 23 affected normal life in the state particularly in Imphal. The bandh which was called by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) Against the Announcement of Wanted JCILPS(Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System)leader Khomdram Ratan and On Implementation of Inner Line Permit System(ILPS) Singjamei Wangma, demanding withdrawal of the ‘wanted tag’ besides implementing ILPS in the State.
The busy Khwairamband Keithel here wore desolate look since dawn to dusk as the bandh was total not only in Imphal, with markets, educational institutions besides government and private offices remaining closed for the day.
But there is no report of any untoward incident till the report goes to press except couple of confrontation between
the law enforcing agencies and the bandh supporters at some strategic junctions in Imphal.
The situation in the State continues to be disturbing as another State-wide bandh which was also in force from June 23, over the State Government’s alleged failure to fulfill the demands of another JAC formed in connection with the death of two youths during April 7 incident this year. JAC is demanding probe into the incident and punishment of accused persons.
Though the two different forms of state-wide bandhs have hit the inter-district and inter-state passenger services including the services along popular Indo-Myanmar road, it could not affect the normal air traffic at Imphal International airport here and normal business in the hill district headquarters.
