JAC calls 48 hrs strike

THOUBAL, May 25: The JAC Against the Brutal Killing of KM Abdullah has called a State-wide general strike from 5 am of May 27 till 5 am of May 29.
KM Abdullah of s/o KM Abdul Barik of Yairipok Changamdabi Makha Leikai who went missing since May 16 was found dead in Imphal River at Arong Khunjao Makha under Arong Nongmaikhong police station on May 23.
Demanding justice and punishment of all the people involved in the alleged murder of KM Abdullah, a large number of people of Yairipok Changamdabi marched towards Lilong police station today but they were blocked by police at different points which resulted in tense stand-offs.
The protest rally organised by the JAC Against the Brutal Killing of KM Abdullah was first stopped by police near Azad Higher Secondary School, Yairipok.
After a tense stand-off which lasted for around 20 minutes, the protesters somehow overcame the police barricade and marched ahead.
Police again tried to stop the rally at Yairipok Bazar and Thoubal Bazar but the protesters breached the police barricades.
But at Waithou, police fired several rounds of tear gas shells and successfully halted the rally.
Later speaking to media persons, JAC co-convenor MK Reihan said that they earlier urged the State Government to institute a magisterial enquiry into the alleged murder of KM Abdullah, book all the culprits and frame charge-sheet within 15 days but it appears that the Government was not serious about these demands.
As such, the JAC and the local people of Yairipok Changamdabi decided to press these demands by taking out a protest rally and holding a sit-in in front of Yairipok police station, Reihan said.
He then appealed to all the CSOs, women organisations and clubs to support the general strike in order to avert such unfortunate incidents in future.
Saying that more intense modes of agitation would be launched if the JAC’s demands are not addressed at the earliest, the JAC co-convenor said that essential services including power, water supply, medical service and religious functions would be exempted from the purview of the general strike.