Manipur Plans Police Highway Patrols to Stop Extortion

Imphal: Manipur officials are plotting a return to highway patrols. The state government wants to put police commandos back on the roads to stop criminals from shaking down truckers. Extortionists are currently targeting vehicles carrying fuel and food along two main lifelines. These routes keep the landlocked state alive.

State Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam confirmed the plan on Sunday, August 2. He spoke to reporters at an event where he laid out the government strategy. He noted that the state once relied on police for Road Opening Patrol duty. Bringing them back could stop the crimes. "If we deploy them, the level of extortion on the highways will decrease," Konthoujam said.

The state faces a major hurdle. There is not enough manpower to go around. Officials are currently looking for ways to fill the gaps and get the patrols running again. The scheme focuses on National Highway 37, which links Imphal to Silchar in Assam, and National Highway 2, which connects the capital to Dimapur in Nagaland. Strengthening security on these stretches remains the top priority for local authorities.