48-hour bandh affects normal life in Manipur's Imphal Valley

PTI, IMPHAL, MAY 23, 2025 : The 48-hour state-wide bandh called by Meitei organisation Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) in protest against the removal of the state's name from a government bus affected normal life in the five districts of Imphal Valley for the second day on Friday. All business establishments, educational institutions, government and private offices remained closed and public transport remained off the roads. Except for medical emergencies and those seeking to go to Ukhrul district to attend Shirui Lily festival, no other private vehicles are allowed to ply on the roads.

Several women bandh supporters stopped vehicles of central security forces in different parts of Bishnupur and Thoubal districts and pasted "Manipur/Kangleipak" on the windshields of security vehicles. Kangleipak is the ancient name of Manipur.

On Friday morning, roadside vegetable vendors had opened their stalls at Andro Parking, Kongba, and Khurai areas in Imphal East district, but bandh supporters told them to close their stalls. Bandh supporters enforced the bandh at Uripok, Singjamei, and Kwakeithel in Imphal West district.

On Thursday night, bandh supporters staged a torch rally for 2 km and raised slogans stating "Manipur cannot be obliterated." Central forces personnel have been deployed at strategic places across all points leading to the Raj Bhavan.

The Manipur government on Wednesday ordered a probe into the allegations that security personnel forced to cover the state's name on a bus taking journalists to the Shirui Lily festival. It was alleged that security forces had stopped the state-run bus, on which journalists were being taken by the government to cover the tourism festival in Ukhrul district on Tuesday, and forced the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) staffers to cover the state's name written on the windshield with a white paper.

The government formed a two-member inquiry committee and said that it will "examine facts and circumstances involving security personnel and Manipur State Road Transport bus carrying media persons to cover the Manipur Shirui festival on May 20 near Gwaltabi checkpost," according to an order issued by the Home Department.

"The committee shall look into lapses, if any, and suggest measures to prevent recurrence of such a situation in future," it said. The committee, comprising Commissioner (Home) N. Ashok Kumar and Secretary Th. Kirankumar Singh, has been asked to submit its report within 15 days, it added.