Normal life came to a standstill in many areas of Manipur for the second day on Thursday due to a 48-hour general strike called by Manipur University Students’ Union (MUSU) from July 17 midnight. There is no report of untoward incident till the filing of this report.
MUSU called the general strike which is scheduled to conclude on Thursday midnight demanding removal of the Vice Chancellor Prof Adya Prasad Pandey of Manipur University for his alleged financial and administrative irregularities.
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Markets, banks, business establishments and educational institutions were closed and transport services were suspended for the second consecutive day. Government offices and other private establishments recorded a thin attendance as vehicles remained off the road.
The state authority considering the magnitude of the general strike deployed armed and unarmed security forces personnel including women police at various strategic locations in the greater Imphal area and other district headquarters to prevent untoward incidents.
However despite the deployment of the security forces, the strike supporters both youths and womenfolk came out in groups and enforced the agitation at many locations. Some of the strike supporters even burnt tyres on the road to prevent vehicular movement while some blocked the roads by piling up stones and woods.
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In one of the incidents the strike supporters even detected large quantity of local liquors from a Maruti car at a place in between Lamshang and Eroishemba in Imphal West district.
The strike was total in Imphal town, places like Singjamei, Lamlong, Khurai, Wangkhei, Palace gate, Thangmeiband, Khoyathong, Langthabal, Airport road, Sagolband road.
Meanwhile the ongoing strike enters 51st day on Thursday. MUSU launched the strike against the Vice Chancellor by announcing total shutdown in the University from May 30.
In a joint emergency meeting of MUSU along with Manipur University Teachers’ Association and Manipur University Staffs Association on Wednesday had resolved not to provide any cooperation to the new fact finding committee reconstituted by Union HRD ministry. The meet demands removal of the VC Prof Pandey immediately.