Manipur: Kuki-Zo body declares 3-day economic blockade over Nambol ambush

IMPHAL: The Committee on Tribal Integrity (CoTU), a Kuki-Zo body, has announced a three- day economic blockade across Kangpokpi district in Manipur starting from midnight of September 22 till September 25 midnight, decrying the ambush on a convoy of 33 Assam Rifles by unknown armed miscreants at Nambol Sabal Leikai, Bishnupur district.

CoTU spokesperson Ng Lun Kipgen made the announcement to media at Kangpokpi on Sunday.

Unknown armed miscreants on September 19 ambushed a convoy of 33 Assam Rifles at Nambol Sabal Leikai, Bishnupur district, killing two jawans and injuring 5 other jawans. Both Meitei and Kuki-Zo bodies issued condemnation letters and organised protest rallies in against the incident. The Manipur government condemned the incident and announced an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh each to the families of the deceased and ₹2 lakh each for the families of the injured.

The Manipur police in its statement on Saturday confirmed that they had recovered a silver-blue colour van suspected to be used while committing the crime from Mutum Yangbi, Imphal West district, around 10 km from the ambush site.

Kipgen alleged that the valley based insurgent groups are responsible for the Nambol Sabal Leikai ambush on Assam Rifles.

“The inaction of the authorities concerned of the state as well as central governments to nab the perpetrators of the heinous crime even after 2 days of the incident is a matter of national security where the state is under President’s Rule since 2025,” said Kipgen.

He said the incident should be a reminder to the GOI especially to the ministry of home affairs on why the Kuki-Zo community are adamant to reject the idea of “free movement” as one step towards peace initiation.