NSF ban on vehicular movement of Meiteis/Manipuris in Naga areas begins
More than 100 vehicles stranded on NH-2
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, February 24 2016: In the midst of the Naga Students' Federation (NSF) decision to ban the movement of all vehicles belonging to the Meiteis/Manipuris in all the Naga inhabited areas coming into force this morning at 6, many loaded vehicles have been stranded at various locations along the Trans Asian Highway No.1 in Senapati district.

The NsF's decision to impose a ban on all Meitei/ Manipuri owned vehicles in the Naga inhabited areas was taken in its emergency presidential meeting held at NSF Conference Hall on February 22 over the alleged failure of the State Government to comply with the demands of the student body within the stipulated time.

The demands of NSF include termination of the service of the duty officer-in-charge involved in the assault of its members in Imphal on February 14; suspension of all police personnel involved in the incident and an official public apology to the Federation over the incident.

It also sought assurance from Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh "to provide safety and security of the Nagas and Naga vehicles in and around the valley areas" .

It has been reported that early this morning volunteers of NSF in collaboration with various Naga student bodies stopped vehicles particularly those bearing Manipur regis-tration No.at Mao, Maram, Karong, Senapati, Liangmei Taphou and in between Mayangkhang and Ningthoupham.

The bandh volunteers were said to have also seized vehicle documents and keys from the drivers including at Hengbung Taxation post allegedly in front ofthe security personnel.

"They (suspected to be the bandh volunteers) stopped us in front of the AR check post here and seized our keys and documents", said a driver who was stranded at Hengbung Taxation check post.

Some vehicles drivers bearing Nagaland and Assam registration numbers were confused over their detention stating "we do not understand why we are detained here if the bandh is restricted to Manipuri/Meitei owned and bearing Manipur registration numbers" .

Later it was learn that, any vehicle carrying materials/ commodities related to Manipur Government and its activities are also under the purview of the bandh.

More than 100 loaded vehicles were seen stranded at Hengbung Taxation check post while around 25-30 vehicles including vehicles carrying railway construction materials were stranded in between Mayangkhang and Ningthoupham.

Many other vehicles have been reportedly stranded at Liangmei Naga village, Senapati, Karong, Maram and at Mao gate.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held at Karong between the NSF representatives and its linked bodies including ANSAM and SDSA regarding the current stir and strategies to make the bandh more vigorous.

Until the time of filing this, there is no report of any other fallout except seizing of vehicle documents and keys by bandh volunteers.

It is worth mentioning that a team of Manipur police commandos stopped and allegedly roughed up NSF official delegates, who were on their way to attend the Lui-Ngai-Ni festival at Ukhrul on the morning of February 14, at Mantripukhri, Imphal.

The delegates were verbally abused "on communal lines", accused of creating problems in the valley and threatened with physical assault, claimed NSF.

The student body also alleged that the police commandos even physically assaulted one of the officials and snatched away their phones while they harassed them for almost one and half hour till one of its Federating Units' presidents and a senior social activist stopped over after noticing the vehicle in which the officials of the NSF were travelling.

Comment