IMPHAL, June 4 – A tribal students’ body has launched an indefinite economic blockade since Wednesday along portions of two national highways in Manipur to press for its demands, the organisation said, reports PTI. In a statement, the All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) president, John Pulamte said the decision to call the blockade along portions of Imphal-Dimapur NH 39 and Imphal-Silchar NH 53, was taken during an emergency meeting of the ATSUM. He said the government had failed to consider their demands which included appointment of adequate teachers for hill schools and added that medical and essential items would be exempted from the purview of the blockade.
Official sources said most of the demands of the ATSUM had been conceded and only some were pending due to processing in the government departments and appealed to the organisation to call off their blockade. Security has been tightened along portions of Imphal-Dimapur and Imphal-Silchar national highways falling within Manipur, in view of the indefinite economic blockade, official sources said. Police patrolling has also been intensified at various points along the NH 39 and NH 53, considered lifeline of the land-locked north-eastern state, the sources said.
Vehicles, laden with essential items, remained stranded at different points outside the state in view of the agitation. Arrangements would be made to bring those vehicles with escort, the sources said.