Guwahati: The Joint Tribes Council-Manipur (JTCM), representing the Zeme, Liangmai, Rongmei and Inpui communities, called an indefinite shutdown of the Imphal-Jiribam stretch of National Highway 37 and all central govt-sponsored projects in areas under its jurisdiction, protesting the alleged arrest of five Naga women by a CRPF CoBRA team at Noney on Friday.The council alleged that the five women — Rose Kamei, Stella Thaimei, Khamsinliu Phaomei, Kumtharla Kamei and Ellen Kamei — were arrested while “peacefully exercising their democratic rights”. It demanded their immediate and unconditional release and warned of further action if they were not freed. The circumstances surrounding the arrests were not immediately clear.In its statement issued on Thursday, the council referred to the killing and mutilation of six Naga men and alleged that the state and central govts had failed to deliver justice. It accused security forces of targeting Naga villagers and said the arrests had further “hurt the sentiments” of the four communities.As part of its protest, the JTCM said movement of all vehicles and goods along NH-37 would remain suspended until further notice. It also called for a halt to all central govt-sponsored projects within the territorial jurisdiction of the four communities.The council warned that failure to release the women would force it to take “stringent action”, while appealing to members of the four communities and Nagas in general to maintain peace, discipline and restraint during the shutdown.The shutdown could have severely affected Manipur’s supply chain. NH-37 is one of Manipur’s two main supply arteries, connecting Imphal with Jiribam and, further, Silchar in Assam.The 224-km corridor has assumed even greater importance in recent years as disruptions on the Imphal-Dimapur route have repeatedly forced the movement of essential commodities through NH-37. The highway carries foodgrains, fuel, LPG, medicines and other essential supplies into the landlocked state.Highway blockades have also become a recurring feature of Manipur’s prolonged ethnic and political conflict, with rival community organisations repeatedly using NH-2 and NH-37 to enforce economic blockades or press political demands. Such disruptions have frequently stranded hundreds of trucks and triggered shortages and price rises.More recently, goods-laden trucks and oil tankers were reported stranded between Jiribam and Assam in July, while prolonged delays on NH-37 contributed to shortages of essential commodities in Imphal.The renewed blockade comes at a particularly sensitive time for Manipur’s supply chain. NH-37 has frequently served as the fallback route whenever the Imphal-Dimapur highway is disrupted. In June, security forces had to escort more than 450 trucks carrying essential commodities, including fuel tankers and LPG carriers, along NH-37 amid disruptions on the state’s highways.
