Imphal, September 15: The 48 hours bandh called by the All Manipur Muslim Students' Organisation drew to a close today midnight with reports of violent incidents, especially at Lilong pouring in.

For the second consecutive day life was paralysed in the valley areas of the State.

The demand of the student body is a reservation policy for Muslims in Government jobs.

One girl was grievously injured when she was hit by a rubber bullet fired by police personnel to disperse a mob of bandh supporters at Lilong today.

The incident triggered an angry backlash from the bandh supporters and police commandos were engaged in a pitched battle with the bandh supporters at Lilong for hours.

The girl identified as Jasmine Sahni (18) d/o late Nurul Haque of Usoipokpi was hit by a rubber bullet on the right side of her chest when police commandos swung into action against a large number of womenfolk who were enforcing the general strike at Ushoipokpi under Lilong Police Station this morning.

The girl was brought to RIMS Hospital for treatment at around 8.40 am.

Elder sister of the injured girl, Alam Sahni informed media persons that police commandos of Thoubal not only used foul language against the women folk but resorted to firing rubber bullets and tear gas shells to disperse them.

As news of the injury caused to the woman spread, people came out in large drove and armed with stones and sticks engaged the police commandos to a pitched battle for hours.

The police managed to drive the agitated people upto the Lilong bridge.

From Lilong bridge to the road leading to Ushoipokpi, the people piled up tree trunks and used tyres on the road and set them on fire.

Broken shards of glasses were also strewn on the road preventing the movement of vehicles on the road.

Speaking to reporters at Lilong, general secretary of All Manipur Muslim Students' Organisation, Anwar Hussain said that the minority Muslims have been settled in Manipur for the last 400 years.

The demand for a 10 percent reservation in Government jobs is to secure the future of the Muslim community which is lagging behind in all aspects, he added.

If the Government does not want to grant job reservation to Muslims, then it should say so and the Muslims may chart out their own future, he said.

The president of the student body, Hanib Sahni said if the Government does not respond favourably to their demand more stringent course of action will be taken up.

Elsewhere at Yairipok Tulihal in Thoubal district, strike supporters allegedly set aflame and caused damages to six vehicles.

The strike supporters claimed that one Tata Truck, three 407 Mini Trucks and two Maruti Vans were damaged for plying in defiance of the general strike at Yairipok Tulihal at around 4.30 pm today.

However, the registration numbers of the vehicles which were allegedly burnt or damaged could not be ascertained till the time of filing this report.

On the other hand, effigies of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, MOBC Minister Md Alaudin Khan, MLA Abdul Salam and Dr Maniruddin Sheikh were also reportedly burnt by the people at Hiyanglam Tarahei in the evening.

Meanwhile, Tarahei Youth Development Organisation, Mohammedan Social Youth Club and Pallak Youth Club have condemned the action of the State police forces on the strike supporters.

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