1,000-hour bandh in two Assam districts

Guwahati: An 1,000-hour bandh in Assam's Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts demanding an autonomous state affected normal life Monday. The bandh called by Joint Action Committee for Autonomous State (JACAS), a conglomeration of several organisations in the twin districts, started from 5 a.m. Monday and is likely to continue till Dec 7.

 The JACAS last year launched a movement demanding creation of an autonomous state by combining the two districts. Karbi Anglong superintendent of police M.J. Mahanta said: 'There is no blockade on the NH-39 so far but the vehicular traffic came to a halt in the wake of 1,000-hour bandh. There is no untoward incident in the district so far.'

 The National Highway (NH) 39 passes through Karbi Anglong district to connect neighbouring Nagaland and Manipur. All educational institutes and financial establishments also remained closed. Stalin Engty, a JACAS leader, said: 'We have met the central government last year and they have assured to look into the matter.

 'We have also met the present leadership of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government at the centre this year and appraised of our demands.' 'However, we have not received any communication from the central government so far over the issue,' he said, adding that central government's apathy over the issue had forced them to call the 1,000-hour bandh. Nagaland Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang has already written to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressing his concern about the bandh.