Protesters torch vehicle in Imphal East as tensions escalate in Manipur

AVehicle carrying telecom assets was torched by protesters in Manipur’s Imphal due east territory on th after allegations that it was ferrying illegal items, constabulary said. Law said the vehicle, carrying telecom assets, was headed towards Saikul in Kangpokpi district. However, security personnel deployed at Dolaithabi Dam in Imphal East detained the vehicle and instructed it to return due to the prevailing law and order situation.On the way back to Imphal, the vehicle was stopped at Pukhao Ahallup in Imphal East by a group of protesters. The protesters set the vehicle on fire around 1.30 am after alleging that it was ferrying illegal items, including tobacco products and other intoxicants, officers said.A police team rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control; however, the vehicle was damaged in the fire.A case was registered at Sagolmang Police Station, and investigations are underway to identify those involved.Locals said many vehicles are travelling towards Saikul carrying intoxicating substances, including tobacco products, alcoholic beverages and other items.Manipur Police personnel, along with Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), were deployed for special duty at Namduilong near Kanglatongbi Bridge on Thursday, according to a government order issued by superintendent of police (Imphal West) Ksh Shivakanta in connection with precautionary security measures.Naga Liangmai bodies have blocked National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) at Namduilong in Imphal West district. In retaliation, Sadar Hills Kuki-Zo groups have been agitating since Tuesday at Gamgiphai in Kangpokpi district (adjacent to Namduilong), demanding free movement along the national highway.Meanwhile, Kangleipak Kanba Lup (KKL), a civil body, submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, urging him to intervene and take appropriate action in Manipur.The body highlighted the unrest in Manipur since May 3, 2023, including the recent killing of six Liangmai Naga civilians from Konsakhul.The memorandum also highlighted an incident that occurred on November 11, 2024, in Manipur’s Jiribam district, in which three women and three children, including an infant, were abducted and later recovered as decomposed bodies from the Barak River.The memorandum demanded an impartial investigation into all incidents related to the Manipur crisis and urged the Government of India to intervene and restore normalcy in the state.The fresh violence came days after a hostage crisis escalated Naga-Kuki tensions, the latest in a series of crises in the northeastern state, where ethnic violence has continued sporadically since May 2023. Leaders of tribes, chiefs’ associations, church forums, philanthropic groups and lawmakers have sought to end the tensions.The Naga-Kuki tensions intensified following twin ambushes on May 13 that left four people, including three church leaders, dead. In the aftermath of the ambushes, 48 people were taken hostage, triggering protests, shutdowns and blockades along all three national highways in the state.State home minister Govindas Konthujam said both Kuki and Naga people were held captive. Fourteen Kuki and 14 Naga hostages were released on May 15. The United Naga Council, a community body, has said six Nagas are still being held hostage, prompting security forces to launch a search operation. The six are said to be in the custody of the Kuki National Front, a militant group that has signed a ceasefire agreement with the government. Kuki groups maintain that 14 members of their community are also being held captive.The ethnic clashes in Manipur first began between the Meitei and Kuki communities before involving almost every community. The state’s Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities have remained separated in the areas they dominate since ethnic clashes began in May 2023, leaving at least 260 people dead and displacing 60,000 others.The Meiteis, who are mostly Hindu, largely live in the Imphal Valley. The Kukis, who are predominantly Christian, reside in the hills. The state government has maintained that there are no buffer zones dividing communities in the state, but it has identified certain sensitive areas.A new government was formed in February, nearly a year after the imposition of President’s Rule. It includes representatives from all three major communities as part of an attempt to maintain ethnic balance.