Imphal: Unidentified gunmen suspected to be underground operatives opened fire on a road opening party (RoP) of Manipur’s CRPF 152 Battalion along the Imphal-Dimapur highway on Thursday.
The incident occurred around 5:30 PM in the Khonghampat area under Sekmai police station in Imphal West district. The assailants allegedly fired from a moving white four-wheeler travelling from Imphal towards Sekmai before fleeing the area.
No security personnel were injured in the incident. Imphal West district police immediately cordoned off and secured the area, while Sekmai police registered a case and began a formal investigation.
Separately, at least five drivers were injured on National Highway 37 (Imphal-Silchar road) on September 10 afternoon when mobs pelted a security-escorted supply convoy with stones.
The convoy, carrying 150 fuel tankers and trucks loaded with essential commodities, was travelling from Jiribam to Imphal.
The stone-pelting took place in two phases, first between Awangkhun and Noney and later near the Noney bazar area. Enforcers of an economic blockade called by the United Naga Council (UNC) were alleged to have carried out the attack.
The UNC had announced the highway blockade from September 9, demanding justice for six Liangmai Naga men who were killed after being abducted on May 13. NH-37 had remained the only operational route after NH-2 was closed on May 17 because of earlier inter-district blockades.
Naoroibam Abit, a representative of the transport union, said the convoy was briefly stopped near Noney at 1:00 PM because of the blockade. It resumed its journey at 3:00 PM after CRPF escorts assured the drivers of security, but later came under intense stone-pelting near the Noney bridge.
More than 20 vehicles were damaged in the attack. Drivers Aheibam Punshiba and Kumukcham Sanatomba, also known as Sanamatum, suffered severe head injuries.
Abit also alleged that armed individuals extorted money from vehicles stranded during the incident.
The convoy eventually reached Keithelmanbi, where security forces took the injured drivers to hospitals in Imphal for medical evaluation, including CT scans.
Transport representatives and drivers subsequently announced an immediate indefinite “hands-off steering wheel” strike in protest against the violence.
Maibam Anil, General Secretary of the Manipur Road Transport Drivers’ and Motor Workers’ Union, said transport operations would remain suspended until authorities took concrete measures to strengthen road opening parties (RoPs) and reached a formal agreement with state and police leadership.
“We are risking our lives to supply essential goods and fuel to a population already suffering acute shortages,” a protesting driver said. “Attacking drivers who serve the public is entirely unacceptable.”