Traffic along two highways, which are Manipur’s lifelines, was affected on Monday due to a 38-hour blockade called by the All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) from Sunday midnight. However, providing armed escort, police brought 33 trucks and 12 buses here from Mao where the vehicles were stranded.
The ATSUM is demanding, inter alia , establishment of a State commission for the Scheduled Tribes in the hill areas for holding the Teacher Eligibility Test in the hill stations and other academic facilities. Several trucks and buses were stoned and attacked with slingshots. Police arrested eight tribal people who allegedly stoned vehicles. Old tyres were burned along the highways and vehicular traffic blocked with logs.
There was widespread condemnation of the blockade.
