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.
