Ukhrul: Suspected armed militants opened fire on vehicles, including passenger vehicles, along National Highway 202 near TM Kasom village in Manipur's Ukhrul district on Wednesday, triggering fresh concerns over civilian safety amid renewed tensions in the region.
No casualties or injuries were reported.
The incident occurred at around 4:45 pm when several vehicles, including at least two passenger vehicles and small goods-carrying trucks, were travelling along the Imphal-Ukhrul highway.
According to a passenger whose vehicle was among those targeted, the firing originated from the western side of the highway towards Ukhrul. The attack reportedly began shortly after a security escort had accompanied the convoy up to Litan, less than a kilometre from the incident site.
The passenger alleged that gunfire from sophisticated weapons continued for nearly 10 minutes, forcing drivers to take cover and flee the area.
She also questioned the response of security personnel stationed near the incident site, claiming that they neither retaliated nor took adequate measures to protect the passengers.
Recounting the ordeal in a Facebook post, another passenger said multiple rounds were fired at moving vehicles shortly after the security escort stopped at Litan, between Leimangching and TM Kasom.
"The moment the escort stopped at Litan, between Leimangching and TM Kasom, multiple rounds of gunfire were directed at moving vehicles. Our Winger driver had to take cover in the narrow space between the truck bodies and speed away as the firing continued relentlessly," she wrote.
Although none of the passengers sustained physical injuries, she described the experience as deeply distressing, saying the fear of travelling and the disruption of essential logistics had reached an unbearable level.
She also questioned who would take responsibility for ensuring the safe passage of civilians, asking whether ordinary people were now expected to risk their lives whenever they travelled for work or accessed basic necessities.
Meanwhile, police reportedly recovered around 30 empty cartridges on Thursday from across the river, on its eastern side towards Ukhrul. No bullet marks or damage were reported on the vehicles that were travelling along the highway during the firing.
According to preliminary investigations, police suspect that the firing was intended to intimidate and scare travellers using the highway rather than cause direct casualties.
The incident reportedly occurred between two Border Security Force (BSF) bunkers deployed along the highway, raising further questions about the security arrangements in the area.
It may be noted that the same stretch of the highway was the site of an ambush in April this year, in which two Tangkhul civilians were killed.
The latest incident has once again heightened concerns over the safety of commuters along NH-202, a vital road connecting Imphal with Ukhrul, particularly as civilians continue to face security uncertainties while travelling through the region.