Manipur remains cut off for third day

A new three-day general closure in Manipur paralysed normal life in the state as shops, markets and government offices were closed and no vehicle plied on the National Highway 39, which connects the landlocked state with Guwahati, official sources said.

The state remained cut off from other parts of the country for the third day due to the bandh, called by an organisation called Sadar Hills Demand Committee, seeking a district status for the Hill area of Senapati district, began from midnight, at the end of a bandh called by All Nagaland Students Association of Manipur.

No vehicles plied along the arterial Guwahati-Imphal NH 39 though the 48-hour blockade by All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM) ended last evening as the highway passes through a major portion of the Sadar Hills, they said.

Shops, markets and government offices in the area were closed due to the bandh called by Sadar Hills Demand Committee (SHDC) to press their demand for conversion of Sadar Hills into a full-fledged revenue district.

Meanwhile, several organisations have appealed to ANSAM, SHDC and other organisations to call off any kind of bandh or blockade on NH 39 and urged the government to settle the issues with the agitators.

The organisations in separate statements asked the authorities to take steps before the situation "got out of hand" and added that some vested interests were trying to divide the hill and valley people.

Manipur, they said, is a multi-ethnic state and any particular community should not do anything which may harm interests of others.

Reports from Senapati district said ANSAM was still continuing their economic blockade along NH 39 in protest against recent government decision declaring June 18 as a holiday to observe 'Manipur Integrity Day'.