Imphal Valley's normal life has been reported to be disrupted on Tuesday as the Meitei women's collective Meira Paibi,and five local clubs called for a 48-hour bandh from midnight. The development came in connection with demanding the release of five youths who were arrested for carrying firearms and sporting camouflage uniforms.
Reason behind the bandh
On Saturday, Manipur Police has apprehended five persons for carrying sophisticated weapons and donning camouflage uniforms. In a statement, police said the five had been produced before the judicial magistrate and remanded to police custody.
Demanding the release of the youths, the Meira Paibis on Monday blocked several important roads at Khurai and Kongba in Imphal East district, Kakwa in Imphal West district, Nambol in Bishnupur district and parts of Thoubal district.
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According to Yumnam Hitler, president of All Langthabal Kendra United Clubs Coordinating Committee, "The five arrested youths are civilians and village volunteers who have been guarding their respective villages from attacks by Kuki Zo militants as security forces have failed to do their job properly. We want them to be released unconditionally."
"The agitation will intensify if the government fails to release them," Yumnam added.
How is Imphal affected?
As per media report, markets and commercial establishments remained closed and few vehicles plied the roads on Tuesday morning.
Owing to the 48-hour strike, the supplementary examinations of all subjects of class 10 board exams of Board of Secondary Education, Manipur,which were scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday, were called off. It has been reported that the exmas will be rescheduled at a later date.
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Centre contemplates removal of RAF
It has been rpeorted that the Centre could be withdrawing personnel of the Rapid Action Forces (RAF) from Manipur, where they are deployed to control the brutal ethnic violence.
As per media reports, it was told by s, includina senior government official that “continuous exposure of the RAF to the anti-insurgency theatre may be not suitable for a force trained in crowd control and law and order dutieg agitation and communal incidents.”
10 companies of the RAF are reportedly deployed in the state which is sharply divided along ethnic lines between two warring factions-the Meiteis and the Kukis. Among the 10, eight are in the Valley districts and two are in the hills.
The report notes that a whopping 36,000 paramilitary and Army soldiers are deployed in Manipur at present. Of them, two Border Security Forces jawans and an Army soldier on leave have been killed.
