A truck driver was shot dead on the Imphal-Ukhrul road on May 29 after suspected armed persons opened fire amid a blockade on the highway, police said.
Trucks carrying essential commodities were moving from Imphal towards Ukhrul with security personnel when the incident occurred.
Kuki organisations had blocked the Imphal-Ukhrul highway, leading to a shortage of supplies in Kamjong and Ukhrul districts. An official said a decision was taken on May 29 to send goods after clearing the highway.
When the convoy reached Litan, a Kuki village, people blocked the road with boulders and burning tyres. The obstruction was removed, but some Kuki women later blocked the highway.
Security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters enforcing the blockade. Several loaded trucks and goods vehicles remained stranded on different stretches of the road after the disturbance.
Security stepped up
Police said the situation turned volatile after suspected militants opened fire, killing the truck driver.
Additional security personnel were rushed to the area to prevent further escalation. Tension continued to prevail in the area.
Highway hit by repeated violence
The Imphal-Ukhrul road is a key route connecting Imphal with Ukhrul district. It has witnessed repeated incidents of violence and blockades in recent months amid ethnic tension in the region.
In April, two civilians, including retired army personnel, were killed in an ambush by suspected Kuki militants near TM Kasom village along NH-202. The attack targeted private vehicles travelling from Imphal towards Ukhrul and left several others injured.
Local reports said the movement of commercial and passenger vehicles on the highway had been severely affected by the latest unrest. Many transporters halted operations as a precaution.