Imphal, Aug 09, 2022, IANS

Imphal Aug 09:  Around 700 vehicles carrying essential commodities were stuck on the National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) on Monday amid the tension due to the blockade announced by the All-Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) since Friday.

Police said, even though there were a few instances of arson, like burning a vehicle were reported on Sunday and Saturday there was no such incident on Monday.

“Security requires 510 goods-laden vehicles to their destinations until Monday afternoon, but more than 700 vehicles, loaded with various essentials and other goods remain stranded along the National Highway-2,” a police official said.

The ATSUM called the economic blockade on Friday, demanding that the Manipur (hill regions) Autonomous District Council (Amendment) Bill, 2021 be moved in the state Assembly to grant more autonomy and administrative power to tribal autonomous councils.

The Manipur government, following marathon meetings on Monday and Sunday and Tuesday, has reached an agreement with the agitated ATSUM leaders.

Following the signature of the agreement, the Manipur government released all five of the ATSUM leaders who were detained on August 2 and remanded to 15-day judicial custody by the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Imphal West.

“The five arrested ATSUM leaders will be released following the lifting of the economic blockade with no charges. The arrest warrant and the FIR against the ATSUM leaders will be null and void,” the agreement stated.

In the meantime, the Manipur government had suspended mobile data (internet) services for five days in the entire state on the weekend.

The police stated that since Friday, more than 1,200 goods-laden trucks carrying essential goods were stuck on National Highway-2, which connects Manipur with the rest of the country via Nagaland.

About 30 tribal students sustained injuries in Imphal over the weekend, when the police stopped the protest, which led to a scuffle between two parties.