Manipur: Bus services resume in Kuki-dominated districts after being closed for seven months

Imphal: Amid tight security, Manipur State Transport’s (MST) passenger bus services along the Imphal-Churachandpur (NH-150) and Imphal-Kangpokpi-Mao (NH 102) routes resumed on Saturday.

The bus services were stopped over the last seven months due to an ongoing communal flare-up that erupted on May 3, 2023.

An MST bus driven by a driver and a second driver both belonging to the Naga community along with six passengers all also Nagas were in the bus plying from Imphal to Senapati via Kangpokpi district, predominantly inhabited by the Kukis on Saturday.

The bus started moving from North AOC, Imphal at around 11.30 am on Saturday.

The passenger bus plying from Imphal to Churachandpur via Bishnupur district started its journey from Malom near the Imphal Airport on the same day.

To avert any untoward incident, the central forces are also being engaged as Road Opening Party on these NHs.

Officials said that heavy security measures have been taken up with the deployment of adequate security from the central and state forces.

The security measures have been taken up after the tribals’ bodies — Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), and Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills (KISH) opposed the government's positive initiatives.

The Kuki bodies in different statements cautioned that any untoward incidents arising out of it be the sole responsibility of the concerned authorities.