IMPHAL, April 24: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) formed to seek justice for Khoisnam Sanajaoba, who died in custody, has announced a 24-hour statewide bandh from the intervening night of April 24 and April 25.

Khoisnam Sanajaoba, 27, son of Gandhi from Khurai Ningthoubung Leikai, was arrested on March 31 along with four others for their alleged involvement with the proscribed outfit KCP (Noyon-Military Leader Faction). He was remanded to Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa on April 10. On April 13, just three days later, he was admitted to the casualty ward of JNIMS and later pronounced dead. He is survived by his wife and a three-year-old child.

The JAC condemned the lack of meaningful government action following Sanajaoba’s death and described the shutdown as a necessary measure to press for accountability and justice. According to the committee, Sanajaoba was one of the village volunteers who had been actively involved in the ongoing crisis.

Appealing for widespread support, the JAC urged civil society organisations, local clubs, Meira Paibi groups, and the general public of Manipur to stand in solidarity and support the bandh. The committee emphasized that essential services would remain exempted during the shutdown.

The bandh call follows a series of protests led by the JAC and Meira Paibi, including a sit-in on April 17 and a large public demonstration at Lamlong Keithel on April 20. These events highlighted the community’s demand for justice, accountability, and compensation for Sanajaoba’s family.

The JAC reiterated that the bandh is a collective call for truth and justice, and a reflection of the people’s shared demand for government action.