Convoy escorting goods in Kangpokpi faces resistance

Our Correspondent
KANGPOKPI, Jun 29 : A convoy of security forces escorting vehicles carrying essential supplies to Kangpokpi's Twilang region ran into multiple obstructions yesterday.
Twilang region is mostly inhabited by Kukis.
The movement of the convoy came after the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) had served a 48-hour ultimatum to the Government to open highways and ensure supply of goods to Kangpokpi.
Sources said around 28 vehicles carrying food supplies, medicines, other essential commodities and private passengers were travelling under security escort on the Imphal-Ta-menglong road from Kang- pokpi to Twilang when they were stopped at Cha-wangkining village, about 14 Km from the district headquarters at around noon on Sunday.
After negotiations and a tense standoff, the convoy moved forward but was stopped again at the Thonglang Atongba. Nails placed on the road punctured the tyres of at least five vehicles, said sources. With a massive crowd of people from Thonglang Atongba and Thonglang Akutpa gathering at the site, the blockade lasted till late evening.
Later, security personnel resorted to firing tear gas shells and smoke bombs at around 10.30 pm to disperse the gathering and ensure safe passage of the convoy.
Meanwhile, Naga locals intercepted a vehicle bearing the signage "CoTU Medical Team" transporting liquor along the National Highway-2 at Namdilong Kanglatongbi.
The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has however denied its involvement and said it was an "attempt to malign" its image. CoTU asserted that its Medical Team has never outsourced private vehicles for transporting essential medical supplies and has always relied on its own fleet of ambulances, pickup trucks and lorries for official operations, including the evacuation of critically ill patients to hospitals outside the State.