48-hour bandh in Arunachal to protest May 5 poll
Students union in Arunachal call a state-wide bandh to protest inclusion of the names of 1497 Chakma-Hajong refugees in electoral rolls.
The 48-hour state-wide bandh by All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) to enforce its boycott of Wednesday's Lok Sabha polls began on Tuesday affecting life in the capital town.
The bandh, which began at 5 am was reported to be peaceful so far, police said.
According to Robin Hibu, police super of Papum Pare district of Itanagar, no untoward incident was reported as the bandh kept away vehicles from the roads and markets and business establishments downed their shutters.
Government offices, post offices and banks were closed with the day being a holiday on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. Educational institutions were closed because of summer vacations, he said.
AAPSU called the bandh to enforce its boycott of polls in the two Lok Sabha seats in the state scheduled Wednesday to protest the inclusion of the names of 1497 Chakma-Hajong refugees in the state electoral rolls at the instructions of the Election Commission.
DIG Suresh Roy said altogether 31 companies, including 17 of para military force have been sent by the Centre and deployed for the smooth conduct of polls on May 5.
Deputy commissioner of Papum Pare Sudhir Kumar warned that those who attempted to disturb Lok Sabha polls on by organising unlawful assembly and procession or intimidated voters from exercising their franchise would be detained and prosecuted under law. His warning appeared in local dailies in Itanagar on Tuesday.