With two crippling economic blockades for over a month
on national highways leading to a price spiral and scarcity of essential
commodities in land-locked Manipur, people in the valley on Saturday
vented their anger by destroying food-laden trucks destined for the
hills.
Official sources said that essential items
meant for Keithelmanbi and other areas of Sadar hills were destroyed at
Khumbong, about 15 km west of here, by people of the valley.
Villagers
of Khumbong in the valley alleged to mediapersons that supporters of
economic blockades on national highways beat up drivers and destroyed
eight loaded vehicles while driving to Imphal at Kangpokpi area in Sadar
hills on Friday.
“Why should we allow essential
items to be carried to the hills, particularly interior parts of Sadar
hills, while they are doing anything they like in their area?” they
asked.
The Sadar Hills District Demand Committee
(SHDDC) had launched indefinite economic blockades on the
Imphal-imapur-Guwahati National Highway 39 and Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar
National Highway 53 in Senapati district since August 1.
They were demanding conversion of Kuki-majority Sadar Hills into a full-fledged revenue district.
On
the other hand, opposing the SHDDC’s demands, the United Naga council
(UNC) had also launched economic blockades on the two highways since the
middle of August.
