Insurgent groups to boycott PM's visit

Imphal, Dec 1: Major insurgent groups in Manipur today said they would boycott Prime Minister Manmonhan Singh's visit to the state, where a high security alert has been sounded after yesterday' bomb blast.

Apart from boycotting the PM's functions, the rebels would also observe a 36-hour general strike from December 3, the scheduled date of Singh's visit, according to the coordination committee of the outfits.

The militant outfits which have called the strike include United National Liberation Front, Revolutionary People's Front, Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup, Peoples' Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak and Kangleipak Communist Party.

Officials reports said that all security agencies, including paramilitary forces, were put on red alert to prevent any untoward incident during the PM's visit in view of yesterday's powerful bomb blast which killed one person and injured five.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi is also likely to accompany the Prime Minister on his visit, sources said. Official sources said that Singh would inaugurate buildings housing the City Convention Centre, Manipur Film Development Corporation Centre, Assembly Complex, High Court Building, Inter State Bus Terminus and Secretariat buildings.

PTI