Extortion goes on unchecked on NH-37

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 27: Reports of armed men illegally and forcibly collecting money from vehicles plying on Imphal-Jiribam highway have one once again emerged revealing the security lapses and the rampant nature of extortion activities on the National Highway.
Sources said vehicles travelling under security escorts were threatened and forced to pay  "illegal taxes" between Kaiphundai and Maku today.
This report came days after this paper had revealed a similar incident on July 12 where drivers were forced by men wielding assault rifles to pay money.
"Multiple armed groups are operating along the NH-37, collecting money from vehicles travelling with security escorts. A single goods carrying vehicle is losing as much as Rs 25,000 to extortion on the highway in a single trip," said a driver speaking on the condition of anonymity.
The driver said "police are also taking money from the drivers."
"Extortion is rampant on NH-37. The presence of security forces has no mean- ing as men armed with assault rifles are collecting money from the vehicles in broad daylight," added the driver.
Notably, the NH-37 remains the only route open to vehicles, strictly under security escorts, after NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) has been shut since May 13 due to blockades imposed by civil bodies.
"Reports of armed men collecting money from vehicles on the road have made headlines on many occasions, but no visible actions have been taken up to curb such activities," said another driver.
Recently, the Director General of Police had instructed police to strengthen security measures on the highway to allow safe passage of vehicles and curb extortion. However, there has been no change on the ground, he said.
The Deputy Commissioner of Noney district is learnt to have held meetings with various security forces to form highway patrol teams, but this has not been materialised yet, he added.
Deployment of proper and effective road opening teams before departure of security escorted convoys could curb extortion activities. The security forces escorting the vehicles must also take the responsibility seriously and perform their duties with sincerity, said the driver.
While there have been many reports of extortion activities, in April 2026, cadres of SoO militant group Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) were found collecting Rs 3,000 each from vehicles on the Imphal-Dimapur road.
Even receipts bearing "Kuki Revolutionary Army, KNO/KRA Vehicles Department" and the name "Mexson," indicated as Finance Minister, KNO/KRA were issued to the drivers.
Weeks later in May 2026, evidence of Kuki men extorting money from vehicles surfaced yet again after a transaction made on Google Pay platform became public.
The Google Pay receipt had shown that a transaction of Rs 5,000 was made to one Khaiminsei Haokip with the UPI ID khaikengxxx@oksxxx.
Meanwhile, around 1000 goods-laden vehicles are stranded along the NH-37 in Jiribam and neighbouring Assam.
Even as a security convoy escorting empty vehicles has reached Jiribam today, sources said there will be no security escorted convoy coming to Imphal on Tuesday.
While inadequate security escorts has been flagged as one of the reasons hindering uninterrupted flow of vehicles, a report said 25 companies of Border Security Forces have returned from Bengal poll duty to Manipur on July 25.
These forces which have returned to Manipur may be utilised to secure the National Highways, said drivers, seeking the attention of the Government.