1,200 vehicles engaged for transporting essential items in Manipur

Imphal: The Manipur government has engaged nearly 1,200 vehicles to ensure that essential items reach various parts of the state rocked by ethnic strife for nearly three months, the police said on Wednesday night.

Security has also been provided to the vehicles for safe transportation of the commodities.

“Movement of 953 vehicles on NH-37 and 246 vehicles on NH-2 with essential items have been ensured. Strict security measures are taken up in all vulnerable locations and security convoy is provided in sensitive stretches in order to ensure free and safe movement of the vehicles,” the Manipur Police tweeted.

Transporting essential commodities such as food grains, medicines and baby food has become a problem in the violence-affected state.

Altogether 130 checkpoints were also set up by the police at various places in the hills districts and Imphal Valley.

The police detained a total of 455 people on the charge of violating traffic rules across the state.

Ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state nearly three months ago, killing over 160 people since then, and injuring hundreds.

The violence erupted on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts.