Central forces rushed to Manipur

Violence in State following economic blockade; Nagas say they are under threat

Boiling over : Pedestrians walk past temporary roadblocks on the outskirts of Imphal on Tuesday. The UNC has imposed an economic blockade on Manipur since Nov. 1.

The Centre has rushed around 4,000 paramilitary personnel to Manipur in the wake of violence following the economic blockade of the National Highways connecting the State.

While around 1,500 paramilitary personnel were moved to Manipur in the last two days, around 2,500 were dispatched last week, a senior Home Ministry official said on Tuesday.

The decision was taken in the wake of violence following the economic blockade imposed by the United Naga Council since November 1 on two National Highways — NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) and NH 37 (Imphal-Jiribam) — that serve as lifelines for the landlocked Manipur .

Nagaland CM’s appeal

Nagaland Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang has sought the intervention of the Centre and the Manipur government in securing the lives and property of Nagas in the Imphal Valley of Manipur.

Mr. Zeliang wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi Singh on Monday, drawing their attention to the plight of hundreds of Nagas stranded in the Imphal Valley. He claimed that they were being prevented from proceeding to their villages in the hills. Some valley-based organisations were threatening them, he alleged.

Curfew was relaxed in Imphal West and Imphal East districts for nine hours on Tuesday morning.

Ibobi calls Cabinet meet

Manipur Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh has convened a Cabinet meeting to discuss the situation in the State.

Earlier, the Cabinet approved the payment of Rs 20 lakh to the families of the three policemen killed during an ambush by hill-based militants on December 15.

The Cabinet also approved to bear the cost of treatment of 14 policemen who were injured in attacks in Lokchao and Bongyang in the newly created Tengnoupal and Noney districts.

The Naga Students Federation, meanwhile, has decided to impose a “total blockade” on all Manipur-bound vehicles, including passenger and goods carriers, in the Naga-inhabited areas till the Manipur government gave an assurance to the Nagas about their safety in the State.

Many innocent Naga travellers in Manipur had been assaulted, NSF president Subenthung Kithan alleged on Tuesday.

He also warned that anybody travelling from Naga-inhabited areas to Manipur would be doing so at his or her own risk. — PTI