Passengers Stranded As Dimapur-Imphal Passenger Bus Service Suspended

26-year-old Totngam, who works in Delhi, was travelling to Ukhrul in Manipur for Christmas but had to take shelter at a friend's place after the bus they were travelling in was set on fire on Sunday evening. On Monday, their friend drove them to safety to the border of Imphal valley. Imphal continues to be tense two days after the violence broke out in the area over the economic blockade by Nagas and the recent terror attacks on security forces.

In Senapati district, three vehicles, including a bus, were burnt on Monday morning in retaliation against the violence a day before, during which 22 vehicles heading towards Imphal from the Naga-dominated hill districts were set afire. This has led to shutdown of passenger bus and cab service on Imphal-Dimapur highway and hundreds of Manipur-bound passengers, who were headed home for Christmas are stranded in Nagaland.

"Travel agency from Imphal told that I will get a bus from Dimapur. Now we are here and the bus co-operator is saying that service has been stopped because of violence, now we are stuck," said Chaoba Meitei, a stranded passenger from Thoubal told NDTV.

On Sunday, protesters stopped vehicles which had nearly 1,000 passengers -- all on way home to Naga-dominated areas for Christmas - and set fire to the vehicles. The stranded passengers were escorted to safety in Ukhrul area by the police on Monday.

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Protesters who live in Imphal Valley have blocked all roads leading to Ukhrul district, defying the indefinite curfew in the entire Imphal east district. The protesters have reportedly dug up roads so vehicles cannot move towards the Ukhrul.

Mobile internet services are banned till Christmas in Imphal valley, Senapati and Ukhrul.

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The economic blockade had been started by Naga groups to protest against the state government's decision to carve out seven new districts in the state. The Naga groups allege the new districts encroach on their ancestral land.

Manipur has witnessed ethnic strife for more than 40 years as successive governments failed to address roots of the divide. It is feared that the gap will only widen ahead of next year's assembly polls and the creation of seven new districts.