Bid on AMSU president's life: Strike affects life in Manipur

IMPHAL, January 18: Normal life was crippled in this border State following a 24-hour general strike called by the powerful All Manipur Students Union (AMSU), an apex students' body in Manipur. The general strike came into force from the midnight of January 17 and it will continue till midnight of January 18. The strike has been called in protest against the attempt on the life of AMSU president Khoirom Gourashyam by some unknown armed youths on Wednesday afternoon, while he was sitting in his room in AMSU headquarters. Even though the general strike was announced barely two hours after the shooting incident by the general secretary of AMSU, Premananda Yumnam, during a press conference, the people of the State, Imphalites in particular, were compelled to stay indoors since early morning. All commercial places including the market places of Khwairamband, Singjamei, Kwakeithel and Lamlong remained closed. Most of the shops along the National Highways 39 and 53 also remained closed in view of the general strike. Both government and private educational institutions also remained closed. However, some of the government offices including essential services like water supply, electricity and medicals remained open with a thin staff. Meanwhile, the president of AMSU Khoirom Gourashyam, who was hit by a bullet in his left chest and hand, has been shifted to the security ward of JN Hospital, Porompat in Imphal East district from the surgical ward of RIMS Hospital, Lamphelpat.