Protesters burnt a vehicle carrying telecom assets in Manipur’s Imphal East district on Thursday after allegations that it was transporting illegal items, police said.
Police said the vehicle, carrying telecom assets, was heading towards Saikul in Kangbukpi district. However, security personnel deployed at Dhaulaithapi Dam in East Imphal impounded the vehicle and ordered it to return due to the prevailing law and order situation.
On the way back to Imphal, the car was stopped at Pukhao Ahallup in Imphal East by a group of protesters. Officers said protesters set fire to the vehicle at around 1.30am after they claimed it was transporting illegal substances, including tobacco products and other intoxicants.
A police team rushed to the spot and took control of the situation. However, the car was damaged in the fire.
A case has been registered at Sagulmang police station, and investigations are underway to identify those involved.
Local residents said that many vehicles were heading towards Saikul carrying intoxicating substances, including tobacco products, alcoholic beverages and other substances.
Manipur Police personnel, along with the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), were deployed for a special duty at Namdoelung near Kanglatongbi Bridge on Thursday, according to a government order issued by Superintendent of Police (Imphal West) Ksh Shivkanta regarding precautionary security measures.
Naga Liangmai bodies blocked National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) at Namduilong in Imphal West district. In response, Sadar Hills Kuki Zo groups have been protesting since Tuesday in Gamgibai in Kangbukpi district (adjacent to Namduelung), demanding freedom of movement along the national highway.
Meanwhile, civic body Kangleibak Kanpa Loop (KKL) submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, urging him to intervene and take appropriate action in Manipur.
The panel highlighted unrest in Manipur since May 3, 2023, including the recent killing of six Liangmai Naga civilians from Konsakul.
The memorandum also highlighted an incident that took place on November 11, 2024, in Jiribam district of Manipur, where three women and three children, including an infant, were kidnapped and later recovered as decomposed bodies from the Barak River.
The memorandum demanded an impartial investigation into all events related to the Manipur crisis and urged the Government of India to intervene and restore normalcy in the state.
The new violence came days after a hostage crisis escalated tensions between the Naga and Kuki, the latest in a series of crises in the northeastern state, where ethnic violence has continued on and off since May 2023. Tribal leaders, associations of chiefs, church forums, charitable groups and lawmakers have sought to end the tensions.
Tensions between the Naga and Kuki escalated after the double ambush on May 13 that left four people dead, including three church leaders. Following the ambushes, 48 people were taken hostage, sparking protests, blockades and closures along the state’s three national highways.
State Home Minister Govindas Kunthugam said both Kuki and Naga people were taken into custody. Fourteen Kuki hostages and 14 Nagas were released on 15 May. The United Naga Council, a community body, said six Nagas were still being held hostage, prompting security forces to launch a search operation. The six are said to be being held by the Kuki National Front, an armed group that signed a ceasefire agreement with the government. Kuki groups confirm that 14 members of their community are also detained.
Ethnic clashes in Manipur first began between the Meitei and Kuki communities before encompassing almost all communities. The state’s Meite and Kuki Zo communities have remained separated in their-dominated areas since ethnic clashes began in May 2023, killing at least 260 people and displacing 60,000 others.
The Metis, most of whom are Hindus, live in the Imphal Valley. Members of the Kuki tribe, who are mostly Christians, reside in the hills. The state government confirmed that there are no buffer zones dividing communities in the state, but it has identified some sensitive areas.
In February, a new government was formed, almost a year after “presidential rule” was imposed. It includes representatives of the three main communities as part of an attempt to maintain ethnic balance.
