The Imphal Valley continued to remain choked for the fifth consecutive day despite talks being held between representatives of the government and the strike supporters to end the agitation on the two highways, which are the lifeline of Manipur and connect the northeastern state with the rest of the country.
The self-explanatory Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) has been imposing a weeklong economic blockade along the two highways since Sunday midnight. It intensified the stir by calling an indefinite general strike from Tuesday midnight at Sadar Hills in the tribal dominated Senapati district.
Besides setting ablaze three government offices, strike supporters on Thursday night torched the additional deputy commissioner office at Kangpokpi and a primary health centre at Kala Pahar in Sadar Hills through which NH-39 ( Imphal-Dimapur route) passes. Despite heavy deployment of state and Central paramilitary forces, over 10 vehicles, including trucks carrying essential items and private vehicles, were torched. Many more vehicles were damaged along NH 39 and NH 53 (Imphal- Silchar route).
During the course of the agitation, three women were also run over and killed by a truck after its driver lost control over the vehicle as the agitators hurled stones at him. On Thursday, SHDDC representatives held a meeting with the government, led by chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, at his office chamber. They asked the government to come up with a deadline to resolve the crisis and and make its position clear on decades-old demand for a Sadar Hills revenue district.
Officials said Ibobi pledged to take up the issue at a cabinet meeting.
The chief minister also presided over a high-level security meeting of police, army, Assam Rifles and CRPF and directed them to ensure smooth flow of essential commodities along the two highways. Over 400 Imphal-bound passengers are stranded along NH-39 in the Senapati district headquarters for three days owing to the violent agitation.
Sadar Hills is predominantly inhabited by Kukis. The Nagas are opposed to the district demand, claiming the area in question as their ancestral land. Ibobi has said his government was actively considering to upgrade not only Sadar Hills, but also Jiribam in Imphal East and one each in Ukhrul and Churachandpur districts to full-fledged revenue districts.