Highway blockade continues in Manipur

The indefinite blockade by a students union on two national highways continued for the fifth day today in Manipur, leading to a sharp rise in prices of essential commodities brought from the neighbouring states.
Members of Zeliangrong Students Union began the blockade on two national highways -- Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar and Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati -- from April 21 demanding release of a girl student identified as Alice Kamei by an insurgent outfit Revolutionary People's Front (RPF).
Transport services between Manipur and its neighbouring states remained suspended since the start of the blockade shooting up the prices of essential and other items brought in from other states, officials said.

Meanwhile, petrol tank driver Surajit Singh, released by his abductors on April 23, told reporters last evening that he had been told by the kidnappers that such incident would recur if tank owners did not respond to their extortion demands.
The President of All Manipur Petroleum Drivers' Association Bhupenchandra Ghosh, who was present at the press meet, made an appeal to all for the security of the drivers.