Vigil up on Manipur freeway forward of key pageant

For the final two years, the ethnic clashes which led to Meitei and Kuki-Zo tribals retreat to their respective stronghold districts, have meant that they don’t enter one another’s areas.

The safety has been beefed up after threats have been issued to the Meitei group individuals who have been planning to attend the pageant — held in honour of the state flower Shirui Lily discovered within the hills of the Tangkhul Naga-majority Ukhrul district.

With the Manipur administration providing three interdistrict buses (beneath tight safety) for these wishing to journey from the Imphal valley to Ukhrul, officers imagine that is the second actual take a look at for the federal government of their bid to revive normalcy by beginning free motion.

On March 8, 2025, Manipur governor Ajay Bhalla’s first try to begin bus motion between Imphal, Kangpokpi and Imphal-Churachandpur districts was met with protests, stone pelting and one dying. Each Kangpokpi and Churachandpur are Kuki-Zo dominated districts, the place Meiteis can not enter due to the ethnic hostilities.

Safety officers in Manipur mentioned that whereas Ukhrul is a Naga-dominated district, the place ethnic clashes didn’t unfold, a heavy deployment is in place as a result of Meitei residents travelling to attend the pageant in Ukhrul must journey by way of six Kuki-Zo villages alongside the freeway. The six villages – Mongneljang, Gwaltabi, Zalenbung, Mongot-Chepu, Litan Sareikhong are alongside NH 202. Two others — Thawai Kuki and Zaolen — usually are not on the freeway however near it.

In a public discover issued on Monday, further deputy commissioner of Ukhrul district Polly Makan mentioned: “To be able to facilitate secure and environment friendly journey, it’s suggested that each one guests plan their journeys to and from Ukhrul by way of Yaingangpokpi between 8am to 4pm.Guests travelling after 4pm will likely be escorted by safety personnel.”

Makan added: “Moreover, no motion of tourists will likely be permitted after 12 midnight, to keep up the protection and order.”

A senior officer, who requested to not be named, mentioned: “Troops from BSF and Military are strategically positioned alongside the stretch. A highway opening social gathering is already there. Not like March 8, there shouldn’t be any downside as a result of Ukhrul is a Naga-dominated space. Final time, the motion was proper into the center of the 2 most populated Kuki-Zo districts – Kangpokpi and Churachandpur. This time, Kuki-Zo teams have formally additionally not issued any assertion to protest the motion. However we can not take probabilities because it passes by the hills of Kuki-Zo villages and because of this the BSF and Military have been roped in. Immediately some organisers additionally went by way of highway and there was no downside.”

In the meantime, the state administration has additionally positioned restrictions on motion of autos post-midnight. Ukhrul’s further deputy commissioner Polly Makan in a public discover on Monday mentioned that safety measures could be in place between 8 am till midnight. Whereas guests publish 4 pm, will even be grouped and allowed to journey solely beneath a safety convoy, the motion is restricted after midnight.

A second senior official mentioned that final week, Naga village chiefs of Ukhrul additionally held conferences with Kuki-Zo village chiefs advising them to not prohibit the motion of individuals from Imphal to Ukhrul in the course of the pageant. “No group, barring miscreants with pretend handles on social media, has opposed the motion of individuals from Imphal to Ukhrul. It’s not simply Meities however folks from all communities, who will journey to Ukhrul for the state pageant. The safety is only a precaution.”