Manipur: Cyclist Malem Thongam reaches Imphal under heavy security

Guwahati: Transgender social activist and cyclist Malem Thongam arrived at Sekmai Police Station in Imphal West district in the early hours of Thursday under heavy security arrangements, officials said.

Thongam reached the police station at around 4.30 am after travelling from Senapati district in a special convoy escorted by the Border Security Force (BSF). After completing official formalities along with five accompanying members, the activist left for home, sources confirmed.

The guarded arrival followed heightened tension triggered by objections from Kuki civil society groups to Thongam’s proposed plan to cycle through Kangpokpi district as part of the peace campaign titled “Cycling for Manipur Peace”.

Thongam began the long-distance expedition from Qutub Minar in New Delhi on October 2 and has since covered more than 2,300 kilometres across multiple states. The activist entered Manipur and reached the Naga-majority Senapati district on December 17. The itinerary included passing through Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district on December 19 before concluding the journey in Imphal.

However, the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), a Kuki-Zo civil organisation based in Kangpokpi, objected to the proposed route. In a statement, COTU warned that the cycling programme could generate tension under the guise of promoting peace and demanded that the passage through Kangpokpi be stopped immediately. The group also said that any untoward incident during the proposed crossing would be the responsibility of the authorities and not the Kuki-Zo community.

In response, authorities stepped up security along National Highway-2 in Kangpokpi district as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, police confirmed that they have registered an FIR in connection with indiscriminate firing allegedly carried out by armed Kuki groups at Torbung in Bishnupur district on Tuesday night. The Torbung–Kangvai belt remains one of the most sensitive regions in Manipur since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023, witnessing repeated gunfire incidents, attacks on civilian areas, and seizures of illegal arms and explosives.

The area serves as a strategic buffer between valley and hill districts and frequently remains under intensified security surveillance.

Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February, following the resignation of former chief minister N Biren Singh amid continued criticism over his handling of the ongoing crisis.