Extortions thrive at Gamgiphai on NH-2
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 11 2024: Even as Manipur struggles for stability since the last 19 months, there still is no cessation in collection of illegal taxes at Gamgiphai in Kangpokpi along National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur road) .

Notably, Meetei civilians have stopped moving along the National Highway which passes through Kangpokpi since May 3 last year due to the crisis besieging the State.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, some transporters said that an entry point has been set up at Gamgiphai to check people and collect illegal taxes.

They said the miscreants openly collect illegal taxes at Gamgiphai during daytime and at the Army war cemetery near Gamgiphai in the night.

Continuing that it is the Kuki militant groups, both signatory and non signatory of Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact and their civil organisations which have been collecting illegal taxes round the clock, the transporters added that at least 200 loaded trucks traverse along the Imphal-Dimapur road everyday on average.

They further said that the Kuki militants also deploy a mobile tax collection team so as to prevent parking of too many trucks at the entry point at Gamgiphai.

It is on the pretext of checking Meeteis that the Kuki militants and their CSOs collect a large sum of money every day by making the transporters pay illegal taxes at Gamgiphai and the nearby Army war cemetery openly, the transporters said and added that Meeteis, however, have stopped taking the road for security reasons.

It has been like this since May in 2023. These miscreants are now bold enough to levy illegal taxes on transporters openly as if the highway belongs to them, they said and added that Kuki militants may have been funding themselves to keep the State on the boil from the illegal activity.

It seems like militants are running a parallel Government at Kangpokpi area and along National Highway-2 they said and added that what the transporters see at Kangpokpi is complete lawlessness.

Even the Naga people cannot say a word about the collection of illegal taxes, the transporters continued and asked whether there is nobody who can stop the transgression of Kukis at Kangpokpi and let them do their job freely.

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