Manipur prepares for Republic day

Imphal, Jan 23: Security has been beefed up in Manipur, following boycott call by militant groups, in preparation for the Republic Day celebrations.
Four militant groups of the Northeastern region KLO, MPLF, TPDF and ULFA had called a general strike in the entire region from 0100 hrs - 1800 hrs and urged the people to boycott the celebrations.

The Manipur People's Liberation Front(MPLF) convenor said in a statement that essential services will be exempted from the purview of the strike. Rehearsals were on in full swing and various state government departments have started constructing tableaux. Cultural programmes will also be shown as a part of the observation.

Police said large number of security personnel were deputed at strategic locations to thwart the attempt of the militants to disrupt the celebrations.
The day will be celebrated amidst tight security at Kangla.

UNI