TMB Correspondent
Kangpokpi: Amid volatile protests in Churachandpur District since April 27 afternoon, a lightning bandh was witnessed along National Highway-2 for around six hours from 9:30 pm of April 28 till 3:30 am the next morning.
The sudden highway blockade was reportedly enforced by the enraged youths in the backdrop of the Churachandpur protest as a mark of solidarity and support towards the protesting tribal people of Churachandpur.
The irate protestors were seen blocking the highway by burning wood in the middle of the road apart from laying stones and big round logs on the highway at Gamgiphai, and Lower Khengjang, the bordering villages of Kangpokpi district with Imphal West.
Around 70 to 80 volunteers, mostly youth, were seen engaging in the road blockade.
The volunteers are not willing to talk to the media, saying they have no authority to speak over the issue. However, on anonymity, one of the volunteers told that we came out on the street and resorted to the lightning bandh in solidarity with our protesting tribal people of the Churachandpur district.
The volunteer said the protest at Kangpokpi solely depended on the situation of the Churachandpur crisis when asked how long the protest will go on and who organized the protest.
The protesting tribal youth were seen blocking the highway and mending the road till 3:30 am on Saturday.
There were no vehicles stranded at the protesting site as they took a U-turn and returned after witnessing the blockade of the road as reported.
However, security forces were seen at Gamnom Saparmeina and Kangpokpi police stations halting vehicles, mostly commercial and a few passenger vehicles for safety owing to the road blockade.
Kangpokpi district police were seen deployed around the protesting site and along the highway to monitor the situation.
No untoward incidents have been reported or witnessed during the protest.
Later, at around 3:30 am, the protesting youth dispersed after the protest at Churachandpur temporarily pacified as reported.
In the morning, the normal situation has come back to life as shops were open, and vehicles started plying normally along the highway.
No more protests or blocking the highway were witnessed throughout the day as normal life resumed.
