Manipur: NSF imposes 'total blockade' of Manipur-bound vehicles in Naga dominated areas

Kohima: The Naga Students Federation (NSF) has decided to impose a “total blockade” on all Manipur-bound vehicles, including passenger and goods carriers, in all Naga-inhabited areas till the Manipur government gave its assurance to Naga people about their safety and security in that state. [caption id=“attachment_3163456” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Images from Sunday’s protest against the United Naga Council (UNC)’s indefinite economic blockade. A mob had vandalised 22 vehicles on Imphal-Ukhrul Road on 18 December. PTI[/caption] Many innocent Naga travellers in Manipur were assaulted, their vehicles set on fire and luggages damaged on the highways in the past few days, NSF president Subenthung Kithan alleged on Tuesday. A mob had vandalised 22 vehicles on Imphal-Ukhrul Road on 18 December. In this regard, Kithan said, the decision to impose a total blockage on Manipur vehicles, including passenger and good carriers, was taken. The NSF chief also cautioned that anybody travelling from Naga-inhabited areas to Manipur would be doing so at his or her own risk. Kithan, however, said NSF would exempt students travelling back to Manipur from their vacations. The United Naga Council (UNC) has imposed an indefinite economic blockade on the National Highways of Manipur since 1 November hampering supply of essential items. The UNC has been agitating against the Manipur government’s decision to create Sadar Hills and Jiribam into full fledged districts, claiming it would bifurcate ancestral lands of Nagas in the state.