Imphal: Over 30 persons were injured in police actions while thousands of employees did not report for duty responding to a call for closure of all Central and State Government offices from today (Aug 9, 2004) till removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Manipur.

Official sources said police burst tear gas shells, used smoke guns and fired rubber bullets at various places including Mongsangei and Naoremthong in the outskirts of Imphal as agitators blocked roads to prevent office-goers.

According to sources the injured were taken to Regional Institute of Medical Science Hospital and J N Hospital and added that some persons were arrested for defying prohibitory orders in Mongsangei and Naoremthong areas but they were later freed.

Sources said except some district level officers, majority of the employees did not report for duty in spite of the warning to initiate appropriate action if they did not attend office.

Except for the Manipur Secretariat, functioning at all the Central and State Government offices was severely affected, sources said adding that markets, shops and business establishments also remained closed in most parts of the Valley.

Reports from hill districts said several offices were also closed in response to the call.

Roads were blocked in some parts of Imphal and Greater Imphal areas by agitations to prevent office-goers from reaching their offices.

Several local clubs, organisations and groups have extended support to the agitations in closing the offices, the reports said.

The leaders of the 32 organisations spearheading the current agitation for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) had given the call for the closure of offices.

They said both the Central and State Governments had failed to read the pulse of the people so far.

They said the people of Manipur could not tolerate any more killings of innocent civilians by Central Forces in the name of tracking down armed insurgents.

Appealing to the Government to initiate steps for withdrawal of the Act before it was too late, the leaders of the organisations said they would launch a series of agitations to press for their demand.