Imphal: Tensions escalated sharply on Tuesday as security personnel fired tear gas shells and smoke bombs to disperse a protest march heading toward the buffer zone at Gamgiphai in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district.
The demonstration, organised under the banner of the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), demanded the immediate restoration of the movement of essential commodities along National Highway-2, a vital route linking Imphal to Dimapur.
Hundreds of volunteers from the Kuki-Zo community assembled at Taloulong before attempting to move toward Kanglatongbi, where CoTU alleges the transport of essential goods has been consistently obstructed.
Security forces deployed in the area stopped the procession, triggering a brief but tense standoff. Refusing to back down, several protesters sat on the tarmac of NH-2, blocking traffic and demanding the lifting of restrictions on food, medicines, and other essential supplies.
CoTU spokesperson Ng. Lun Kipgen expressed deep frustration over the situation, citing severe shortages and rising prices of essential commodities in Kuki-Zo inhabited areas due to prolonged highway blockades and checkpoints.
Kipgen said previous appeals submitted to the district administration, police, and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to clear the route had yielded no tangible results.
“We are seeking nothing but the restoration of free movement of essential commodities and urge the authorities to resolve this at the earliest,” Kipgen said.
He also appealed to all security agencies to maintain strict neutrality and expressed hope that unhindered transport along the highway would resume without further delay.
As of Tuesday afternoon, no official statement had been released by the state government or security agencies regarding the allegations made by the protesters.
Security personnel remained heavily deployed across the region to maintain law and order.