Kangpokpi total shutdown enters fifth day as CoTU extends strike
The Committee on Tribal Unity has prolonged the closure until Friday evening to demand justice for two slain Kuki-Zo youths.
A total shutdown paralysed Manipur's Kangpokpi district for a fifth consecutive day on Thursday, according to NENow. The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has extended its strike by 48 hours.
The blockade has disrupted long-distance transportation between Imphal, Nagaland and Assam. Many transport operators are using alternative routes towards Guwahati and Dimapur, while thousands of passenger and commercial vehicles remain stranded along National Highway 2.
The tribal body extended the closure until Friday evening, citing the state government's failure to provide justice for two Kuki-Zo youths who were killed. The initial strike began on Sunday, November 1, after the bodies of two 20-year-old men were recovered.
The two men were abducted from Taphou Kuki village on October 28. Security forces recovered their bodies during a joint search operation on November 1.
CoTU leaders stated they will refuse to claim the remains of the victims until the state administration meets their specific charter of demands. They described these terms as non-negotiable and rejected any partial compliance.
Representatives warned that the Kuki-Zo community will hold a mass public meeting to start intensified democratic agitations if the government does not take decisive action against the perpetrators.