A 24-hour bandh opposing a tourism festival in strife-torn Manipur partially affected normal life in the Imphal valley districts on Wednesday.

Several markets, business establishments and educational institutes remained closed, and only a handful of vehicles were seen plying on the roads in Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur districts, officials said.

Government offices also recorded low attendance, they added.

The bandh was called by the proscribed outfit Kangleipak Communist Party (MC Progressive) from 12 am on Wednesday to protest against the organisation of the Sangai tourism festival without resolving the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state. Internally displaced people (IDPs) and several civil society organisations also boycotted the event, arguing that this

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