Newmai News Network
Imphal | August 9
As many as 10 members of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) for a student’s death incident made themselves available to the police to arrest them even as crackdown on the agitators were intensified by the police.
The protestors are demanding justice for the minor student who was found dead in a suspicious manner in her hostel room on July 18 last.
The 10 members of the “JAC against murder of Ningthoujam Babaysana Chanu” including its convenor were picked up by the police from Khoyanthong area of Imphal, where they (JAC members) came out to ask the police to arrest them as a mark of resentment against the non-release of their colleagues who are being detained by police since the past few days.
The members had earlier announced that they would make themselves available to the police for arrest if the government fails to release their colleagues by 10:00 am of August 9.
Police have started crackdown against the leaders and members of the JAC since Wednesday evening after the JAC announced a series of agitation.
Co-convenor of the JAC and a member were arrested and sent to jail by the police few days ago.
On Friday, the bandh called by the JAC affected normal life in the valley districts of Manipur.
During the general strike, which commenced from 5:00 am, a large number of protestors came out in the streets in their respective localities and imposed the bandh.
In most places, womenfolk and local youths blocked the roads in their localities. Almost all market places across the valley districts, particularly in Imphal wore deserted looks as all shops and business establishments downed their shutters.
Police across the valley districts had a hard time to open the roads for normal traffic flow.
In police action against the protestors at Lamphel area of Imphal West district, as many as two women protestors sustained injuries after they were hit by tear gas shells. Police resorted to firing tear gas shells and mock bombs to disperse the protestors blocking the road at some places, particularly in the twin capital districts.
Except for some sporadic incidents of protestors confronting with the police, no major untoward incident related with the general strike was reported till the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, police on Friday made an appeal to the general public, particularly the JAC, civil society organizations and student bodies to be calm, while asserting that investigation is going on in the "right direction".
Addressing a press conference at the conference hall of Imphal West district police headquarters, IGP Clay Khongsai said that during the course of investigation, Special Investigation Team (SIT) has so far arrested five officials of the Standard Robarth Higher Secondary School including its principal and were currently in judicial custody.
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