Manipur's Kangpokpi district crippled by blockade; rice prices triple, LPG vanishes
Prices of essential commodities in Manipur's Kangpokpi district have soared over the past month due to a severe economic blockade imposed since May 13, following the killing of three Thadou pastors in the Kuki-dominated district. Rice, petrol, and cooking gas have become scarce, with a 50 kg bag of rice now costing ₹4,000, up from ₹1,400 to ₹1,700 before the blockade, according to local MLA Haokholet Kipgen.
The blockade has also severely affected transportation of goods, as Kangpokpi is surrounded by the Naga-dominated Senapati district to the north and Meitei-dominated valley districts to the south. Naga village volunteers have been blocking goods entering from outside the state, disrupting supplies along National Highway-2, which connects the district to Dimapur in Nagaland. Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, who represents Kangpokpi, has been unable to travel to the state capital Imphal since the elected government was restored after President's Rule ended four months ago, and attends meetings virtually.
Thangminlen Kipgen, president of the civil society group Sadar Hills (Kangpokpi), said about 70% of daily supplies were brought through NH-2, which has been blocked since May 13. He added that LPG cylinders are unavailable through official channels, and those on the black market sell for ₹5,000. Petrol costs between ₹250 and ₹280 per litre. The shortage has forced residents to use induction cooktops, leading to frequent power cuts lasting seven to eight hours.
The blockade is part of a broader ethnic conflict in Manipur that has claimed at least 40 lives since February 4, when President's Rule was revoked. The state is home to three major communities: the Meitei in the Imphal valley, and the tribal Kuki-Zo and Naga people in the hills. Since May 3, 2023, around 300 people have died in ethnic violence that initially erupted between Meiteis and Kukis but has now also involved Naga and Kuki communities.
On June 10, the bodies of six missing Naga men, including two pastors, were recovered from Kangpokpi, intensifying local blockades. The six were abducted on May 13 after the killing of three Thadou church leaders in an ambush the same day. At least 44 civilians were reportedly taken hostage by Kuki and Naga groups in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts. While many were released, 14 Kuki hostages were freed on June 9, a day before the Naga bodies were found.
A senior security force official confirmed that illegal blockades along NH-2 have been set up by several groups, and efforts are underway to protect convoys carrying essential supplies. Over the past week, around 30 bunkers erected by village volunteers have been dismantled. On June 23, Manipur police conducted search operations and set up 114 checkpoints in vulnerable areas across districts.
The situation remains tense, with local residents erecting physical structures between Naga and Kuki villages as a safety measure. Civil society leaders stress that it is the poor who suffer most, as the blockade drives up local inflation and makes daily life increasingly difficult.
