Imphal, February 04: Following an agreement reached between representatives of State Government and All manipur Muslim Students' Organisation this evening the 36 hour general strike imposed by the latter has been called off with immediate effect.

The agitation began at 4 am today.

The memorandum of understanding reached today include presentation of the report of Manipur State Commission for Other Backward Classes to take decision regarding reservation for backward sections of the Muslim community in the forthcoming Manipur Assembly session, said an official release.

the deadlock is reported to have been solved after the Chief Minister made a formal invitation to the student body for talks.

Talking to reporters, AMMSO president Md Hanif Shah said soon after receiving the invitation representatives of AMMOCOC and All manipur Muslim Education Society also took part in the deliberation.

The first round of talks with the Chief Minister lasting for about two hours failed to narrow down the differences resulting with the representatives staging a walkout, Hanif informed but added that second round of talks which wound up at around 7 pm ended with the signing of the memorandum and calling off the agitation.

Cautioning that failure to comply with the agrement would constraint AMMSO to launch various form of intense agitation the student body president also assured that no disturbances would be caused to the MPSC conducted combined services examination scheduled tomorrow.

Prior to the agreement sporadic violent incidents had been reported from various pockets of the State particularly in areas dominated by the Muslim community.

Thoubal district witnessed the most severe form of agitation with suspected general strike supporter setting fire to the wooden bridge over Imphal River at Lilong in the wee hours.

However, no substantial damage had been caused to the bridge.

While the NH-39 was barricaded with trees and debris at Lilong and Sora areas markets places at Thoubal, Wangjing, Kakching and Khongjom remained open.

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