Just as the Manipur government concluded an agreement with the transport and driver organisations to ensure safe and secure passage on the vital national highways of Manipur by providing adequate security cover of ROPs and escorts, suspected Kuki militants have physically cut off the Imphal-Dimapur highway NH 2 by exploding powerful bombs on a vital bridge between Saparmeina and Koubru Leikha.
After the agreement, movement of oil and LPG tankers besides goods carrying trucks began resuming services which was stopped following the attack on a convoy of oil tankers and LPG bullets besides fully loaded tricks in Imphal-Jiribam highway NH 37 by Kuki militants near Kaimai.
The main grievance of the truckers was that paramilitary forces escorting the convoy of essential commodities fled from the scene instead of confronting the attackers. They have so many other grievances and given the fact that they are ferrying petroleum products and goods in public interest keeping aside their own personal safety they should be given proper protection. The state government after taking into consideration several factors worked out a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) which led to the agreement.
Imphal-Dimapur road (NH 2) and Imphal-Jiribam road (NH 37) have always been a rallying point for politics by certain communities doting these national highways and a pressure point for raising of all kinds of demands and grievances. The other two national highways seldom come in the limelight. Manipur being a land-locked state highly depends on the highways for ferrying in food and all other goods including essential items, which is exactly why highway blockades have become a bargaining chip for groups who have an axe to grind with the state authorities or holding it to ransom for realisation of their demands howsoever petty it be sometimes.
Besides, during the rainy season frequent landslides happen because of the soil conditions in this part of the country. We all know, the Imphal-Jiribam road or National Highway 37 could not be trusted for the time being to be an alternative lifeline or for bearing the burden of traffic otherwise handled by NH 2.
Well, even as the courts had termed the blocking of traffic on highways as illegal, different groups continue to impose different kinds of bandhs and blockades including economic blockades and the state government is rather bent on politically dealing with such bandhs and blockades. But, causing extensive damage to highways and bridges by exploding bombs is not a simple matter of law and order or the work of wayward miscreants. It is an ‘act of war’ aimed at perceived ‘enemies’ by those involved in such acts. And this is not the first incident since the outbreak of ethnic clashes in the state.
The vital bridge at Kwakta in Bishnupur bridge on Tiddim Road was blasted by a bomb fitted in a vehicle on June 21, 2023 in which three persons were severely injured. The case was taken up by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and investigations led to the arrest of a Kuki militant leader and a few Muslim collaborators. If we remember correctly, some Kuki organisations had objected to the swift action of the NIA and arrests. The damaging of a vital bridge on NH 2 near Saparmeina in the wee-hours of Wednesday is another act of war.
Further, the sabotaging of a 400 KV power grid line at Kotlen under Keithelmanbi PS on April 20 is another act of war. An important point to note here is that, all these incidents happened in areas where Kuki militants are active. A Kuki organisation tried to pin the bomb blast near Saparmeina to Meitei groups, which is simply outlandish as no Meitei would dare venture in that area. Clashes between Kuki militants and Meitei groups are part of the ethnic strife and such clashes would cease once peace comes. And, incidents as such come under ‘law and order’ mostly. But, blasting of vital bridges and power grid lines are acts of war which the state should take seriously and deal with in right earnest.
