33-hour bandh cripples life in Manipur's valley areas

GUWAHATI: Life in Manipur's valley areas was paralysed on Friday due to a 33-hour bandh called by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) formed to press for tracing and rescuing two teenage boys who have been reported missing in Imphal West district since Sunday.

The JAC, which had first scheduled the bandh from 4 am till 1 pm on Friday, later extended it by 24 hours more till Saturday 1 pm. The hill districts remain unaffected though.

The JAC warned that it will intensify agitations along with student bodies and the general public if the state government fails to provide the whereabouts of the two boys within the bandh period. It said they will hold another public meeting on November 12 at Akham football ground and decide their future course of action.

Educational institutions, offices and business establishments remained shut, while roads were deserted during the day. The state government deployed security personnel at several locations to prevent any unwanted incident during the bandh period.

The two boys, Maibam Avinash and Ningthoujam Anthony, went missing on November 5 from the Sekmai region. They are from Lamshang Akham Awang in Imphal West district and remain untraceable.

Talking to the media, JAC spokesperson Moirangthem Sunilkumar said the JAC has decided to extend the bandh for 24 hours more as the government did not respond to the bandh call. "Why is the government silent even after two persons were arrested in connection with their disappearance of the two boys? Is it serious about finding the two students?" Sunilkumar told the media.

In the meanwhile, 10 opposition political parties have extended their support to the bandh as they slammed the state government for not coming out clear on the whereabouts of the two students.

The 10 parties - AAP, AIFB, AITC, CPI, CPI(M), INC, JDU, NCP, RSP and SS(LBT) - also questioned the Centre and the state government on the prolonged strife in the state.

Spokesperson of the conglomerate, Khondram Gyaneshwor, told the media that the prolonged crisis has not only affected the two warring groups but also other communities in the state.