With the commencing of the 100 hours blockade called by the All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) from Sunday, normal vehicular movement on the 224-km Imphal-Jiribam section of National Highway 37 has been severely hit in Manipur.
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The blockade was called in protest against the Manipur government’s failure to book the culprits behind the September 3 incident in which some AMSU activists and artistes were allegedly assaulted by NSCN (I-M) cadres.
Even as the blockade began at midnight, no vehicle from Jiribam reached Imphal on Sunday. Similarly, no vehicle left Imphal for Jiribam during the day in apprehension of any possible attack by AMSU activists.
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Several vehicles, including Imphal-bound goods-laden trucks and passenger vehicles coming from Assam side, were also stranded at various places in the border district.
According to sources, a large number of AMSU activists in Jiribam came out on the streets in Kotlein and Goladhon areas and enforced the blockade. The volunteers also piled up stones and logs at various places with an intention to disrupt vehicular movement.
The protestors also raised slogans against activities like collection of illegal taxes and harassing civilians travelling on the national highways by armed underground cadres, besides demanding flushing out of NSCN (I-M) cadres from Manipur.