Bandh over student’s death cripples life in Manipur

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, July 24, 2019: Twenty-four hours Manipur bandh, imposed in demand for justice to “mysterious death” of a class VII student in a school boarding room in Imphal, has crippled life in Manipur.

The general strike was imposed by the ‘Joint Action Committee Against Mysterious Death of  Ningthoujam Babysana  Chanu’ with effect from 6 amof Wednesday.

Bandh supporters blocked roads in Imphal and other parts of the state.

Vehicles were off the road in Imphal. Inter-state bus services were paralysed. Educational instutions and business establishments were shut down. Government offices were affected by the people’s strike.

The strike exempted essential and religious services.

The joint action commitee said the banh was imposed against the unsatisfactory response from the government over its demand.

It has been demanding justice to the death of Babysana inside a room of histel of Standard Robarth Higher Secondary School, Canchipur. She was found hanging inside the room on July 18.

Babysana belonged to Thangmeiband Meisnam Leikai, Imphal West.

Following failure of response from the government to the memorandum submitted on July 19, a team of the joint action commitee met education minister Th. Radheshyam on Tuesday.

A member of the committee said that the education minister told them that he will give pressure to state government so that the case of Babysana’s death may be handed over to the CBI. The committee was told that the police department has detained some of the hostel authorities of the school.

Radheshyam later visited Thangmeiband to make clarification in front of public.

Superintendent of police, Imphal West, K. Meghachandra who accompanied the minister told the public that the victim’s family and the media persons were not allowed to enter the crime scene to prevent accidental tampering of evidences. As the case is a serious one, they were not allowed to see the crime scene, the officer told.

The joint action commitee said the 24-hour bandh was imposed due to unsatisfactory response from the government.

The general strike was supported by various organisations.