Normal life affected as Imphal-Moreh road bandh begins

Our Correspondent IMPHAl, January 31 Normal life along Imphal-Moreh Road came to a grinding halt besides affecting the vehicular movement along the route for the second day on Saturday on account of the indefinite bandh called by villagers of Tengnoupal village in Manipur’s Chandel District bordering Chandel district. The indefinite bandh was called in protest against denying free movement to the villagers allegedly by 24 troops Assam Rifles deployed along the Tengnoupal sector of the route. The bandh has also affects the Indo-Myanmar border trade as its only vital route-110km Imphal-Moreh road has been blocked during the bandh.A functionary of the striking body speaking to this reporter on phone said that the Bandh will continue unless the 24 Assam Rifles is vacated from the existing locations. A decision has been taken in a joint meeting of student’s body and other civil society organizations of Chandel block,he added. The day’s joint meeting was attended by functionaries of Kuki Chiefs Association, Kuki Students Organisation Chandel,Kuki Women Human Rights Organisation and Hill Tribal council Moreh. Many small time traders who had been passing the Tengnoupal and Khudengthabi Assam Rifles posts have also told the media about the frequent harassment to the passengers by the Assam Rifles personnel. Meanwhile the Deputy chief minister Gaikhangam who holds the home affairs portfolio speaking to the media on the sideline of the a function on Saturday said the issue of long detention of passersby at Assam Rifles post at Tengnoupal would be put during the joint security meeting of the state. He also informed that the Government of Manipur is planning to place two vehicles installed with x-ray scanner at two points –including one at Pallel and one at Tengnoupal along Imphal-Moreh road to identify vehicles carrying illegal items along the strategic road. A report has been sent to Union Ministry of Home Affairs for procuring the highly expensive vehicles fitted with x-ray scanner which can detect vehicles carrying illegal items like drug and weapons.