Imphal, Aug. 18 -- Normal life was severely disrupted across Manipur's five valley districts on the first day of a 48-hour general strike called by the Campaign for Just and Free Delimitation (JFD) to demand implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census.

Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur witnessed widespread shutdowns, with major business centres, shops and commercial markets remaining closed. Public transport, auto-rickshaws and commercial vehicles stayed off the roads, leaving major streets and highways largely deserted except for a few private vehicles.

Schools, colleges, banks, fuel stations and other educational institutions also remained closed, while government offices recorde...