MZP rejects DC's appeal, 'curfew' to remain

Aizawl, July 22 (UNI) The Mizo Zirlai Pawl (Mizo Students Association) today rejected the Aizawl DC's appeal to lift its 'curfew' on non-Mizos, following the murder of a Mizo youth at Assam's Bagha on July 18.

Aizawl DC Vanengmawia had met the MZP leaders at his office here yesterday and requested them to lift their 'curfew' on non-Mizos.

The MZP turned down the DC's request and insisted that the curfew was for the non-Mizos' safety against possible backlashes since the anger among the youths had still remained.

However, the MZP agreed to relax the 'curfew' for religious purposes and for those who wanted to leave the state.

The 'curfew' on non-Mizos, excluding the Northeasterners, Gurkhalis and foreign tourists, would be imposed till July 25.

''The curfew is for the safety of the non-Mizos because the possibility of backlashes cannot be ruled out here,'' the MZP president said.

The curfew had affected cement and construction works in Aizawl since the non-Mizos were the main workforce in this area.

Meanwhile, the residents of Vairengte, from where 26-year-old Kapliana, who was killed by miscreants at Bagha, hailed, were gearing up to impose total bandh at the border town from dawn to dusk on July 23, including the Aizawl-Silchar highway blockade.

The bandh would be imposed to demand ex-gratia of Rs ten lakh for the deceased and Rs five lakh for the injured Lallianthanga, who is still being treated at Silchar's Gungoor hospital.

Though the student-staged road blockade on the NH 54 due to the protest against the murder was lifted the day after, traffic movement on Mizoram's sole lifeline was yet to return to normalcy, leaving the state on the verge of inflation.

Concerned organisations, including the MZP, had appealed to all shop owners not to hike the price of their commodities taking the advantage of the crisis period.

UNI