Shutdown in Manipur affects border trade

IANS Imphal, April 21 The legalised border trade between Manipur and Myanmar was brought to a standstill on Thursday due to the 12-hour shutdown called by several voluntary organisations in the northeastern state. The shutdown was called to protest five bomb blasts triggered near Hollenphai village in Manipur on Wednesday that injured three troopers of Assam Rifles. The troopers are, however, out of danger. All private and commercial vehicles along the twrans-Asian highway from Imphal capital city to border town of Moreh were off the road. While hundreds of tourists and traders could not leave Imphal on Thursday, many others, who were to return to the state capital, were stranded at Moreh. Police sources at Moreh told IANS that there was no untoward incident during the strike. People remained indoors and police and paramilitary personnel patrolled the highway and village roads to maintain law and order.