Indian security personnel watch as forensic experts inspect the site after a bomb exploded at a busy market in Imphal, Manipur on Monday, August 1. (AP Photo)
Imphal | August 3 : A 12-hour shut down across Manipur called by All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) against the terror blast on Monday at Sangakpham in Imphal completely paralyzed normal life in the state. The day passed off peacefully barring incidents of small private vehicles being damaged by strike supporters in Imphal area. Later, effigies of Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, Union home minister P Chidambaram and NSCN-IM chief Th Muivah were burnt by the students as a symbolic protest against the blast.
During the general strike that lasted from 5 am to 5 pm Wednesday, all educational institutions and business establishment across the state remained closed while government offices recorded a lean attendance. Inter-state and inter-district passenger busses also stayed off the roads, completely paralyzing normal activities across the state.
The powerful blast in front of a saloon at a crowded market place at Sangaipham in the afternoon of August 1instantly killed five persons. The innocent victims include a father-son duo from Bihar and two 10-year old girls in school uniforms identified as Khokchem Aping and Philaso.
One of the victims was beyond recognition as the body parts were strewn about across the blast site. A torso was found ripped apart from the limbs while several body parts lay in a pool of blood. The government later identified the body to be of an NSCN-IM cadre named Anthony s/o Bonklung of Sadu Koireng.
In the morning today, general strike supporters from in and around the blast site at Sangakpham came out in the streets and caused small damages to defiant two wheelers. Some of the road users were sent back to the opposite directions without causing any damage to their vehicles.
At about 4 pm, hundreds of students under the aegis of AMSU took out a procession from its office at DM College in Imphal to Sangakpham where the residences of the two student victims of Monday blast are located. Some women folks and students also joined the procession midway.
Returning after paying floral tribute to the deceased, the students burnt the effigies of CM Ibobi Singh, Union home minister P Chidambaram and NSCN-IM chairman Th Muivah at its headquarters at DM College as a symbolic protest against the “dastardly” act of planting bomb at a crowd marketplace that killed four innocent civilians and the failure of the state and Central government to prevent such subversive activities.
“NSCN-IM is a terrorist organization”, “we strongly condemn attack on innocent students and civilians”, “Chidambaram should resign immediately”, etc. rent the air during the procession by the students.
During the general strike that lasted from 5 am to 5 pm Wednesday, all educational institutions and business establishment across the state remained closed while government offices recorded a lean attendance. Inter-state and inter-district passenger busses also stayed off the roads, completely paralyzing normal activities across the state.
The powerful blast in front of a saloon at a crowded market place at Sangaipham in the afternoon of August 1instantly killed five persons. The innocent victims include a father-son duo from Bihar and two 10-year old girls in school uniforms identified as Khokchem Aping and Philaso.
One of the victims was beyond recognition as the body parts were strewn about across the blast site. A torso was found ripped apart from the limbs while several body parts lay in a pool of blood. The government later identified the body to be of an NSCN-IM cadre named Anthony s/o Bonklung of Sadu Koireng.
In the morning today, general strike supporters from in and around the blast site at Sangakpham came out in the streets and caused small damages to defiant two wheelers. Some of the road users were sent back to the opposite directions without causing any damage to their vehicles.
At about 4 pm, hundreds of students under the aegis of AMSU took out a procession from its office at DM College in Imphal to Sangakpham where the residences of the two student victims of Monday blast are located. Some women folks and students also joined the procession midway.
Returning after paying floral tribute to the deceased, the students burnt the effigies of CM Ibobi Singh, Union home minister P Chidambaram and NSCN-IM chairman Th Muivah at its headquarters at DM College as a symbolic protest against the “dastardly” act of planting bomb at a crowd marketplace that killed four innocent civilians and the failure of the state and Central government to prevent such subversive activities.
“NSCN-IM is a terrorist organization”, “we strongly condemn attack on innocent students and civilians”, “Chidambaram should resign immediately”, etc. rent the air during the procession by the students.
