Correspondent
IMPHAL, MAY 16: More than 300 vehicles, including trucks carrying essential commodities and inter-state passenger vehicles, remained stranded along National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur section) in Senapati district as the shutdown imposed in Kangpokpi district over the ongoing hostage crisis continued Saturday.
Vehicular movement along the highway remained almost completely disrupted within Kangpokpi district for the past four days due to the shutdown imposed by Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) from May 13.
The shutdown was called in protest against the killing of three church leaders in an ambush on civilian vehicles between Kotzim and Kotlen villages in Kangpokpi district on May 13.
KIM reportedly extended the shutdown for another 48 hours, alleging that although 14 abducted Kuki civilians had been released, 14 others remained in “illegal detention and unlawful custody.”
Meanwhile, the hostage crisis remained unresolved as six Naga civilians allegedly abducted by suspected armed Kuki miscreants were yet to be released even after the extended deadline set by United Naga Council (UNC) expired at 2 pm Saturday.
Later Saturday night, UNC extended the deadline till 6 pm of May 17 after the Manipur Home department informed that extensive search and cordon operations were underway. UNC warned it would not be responsible for any untoward incident after expiry of the extended deadline.