National Highway shutdown by Kuki groups continues

Guwahati: The emergency highway shutdown called by Kuki civil society organisations entered its second day on Monday, with women protesters and volunteers blocking stretches of National Highway-2 across Kangpokpi district, disrupting traffic along the Imphal-Dimapur route. There were clashes between protesters and security forces on Monday in which three people were injured.

The shutdown, enforced by Kuki groups and supported by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), was called in protest of the "selective and partisan" security operations, targeting Kuki-Zo inhabited areas and village volunteers.

Protesters blocked some sections of Kangpokpi, Motbung, Saparmeina and other Kuki-dominated areas. A senior police officer who did not want to be named said, "Security forces fired tear gas shells to control the crowd. Three people were injured."


CoTU announced an indefinite bandh along NH-2 and NH-37, alleging bias in security operations and demanding equal protection for Kuki-Zo civilians. The protests coincided with intensive search operations being conducted by joint teams of the Army, CRPF and Manipur Police in the neighbouring villages of Leilon Vaiphei and Konsakhul since Saturday night.