Photo Courtesy: nenow
Imphal: Postal services across Manipur’s Ukhrul district are suspended indefinitely. This follows the destruction of 37 government mail bags on Monday. Unidentified miscreants intercepted a mail van on National Highway-202 near Shangkai Kuki village, located between Mahadev and Litan. The assailants seized the consignments and set them ablaze. The vehicle was reportedly carrying items for Ukhrul, Somdal, and Kamjong post offices.
Ukhrul Postmaster Wungreipam Rimai confirmed the scale of the loss. The Ukhrul Head Post Office lost 32 bags, including 23 parcel bags, two Speed Post bags, three ordinary mail bags, and two registered letter bags. The Somdal Post Office lost four bags: one parcel, two Speed Post, and one ordinary. One bag belonging to the Kamjong Post Office was also destroyed. The incinerated cargo included passports, ATM cards, educational certificates, medicines, clothing, food, and personal parcels.
The Working Committee of the Kuki Civil Society Organisations, currently enforcing a counter-economic blockade, acknowledged the interception. They claimed the truck carried grocery items and vegetables, though they did not mention the burning of mail. Travelers reported the attack occurred despite a heavy security presence along the highway. Public frustration is mounting. Imphal Head Post Office employees staged a protest on Tuesday demanding accountability. They called for the arrest of those responsible and action against security personnel who were supposed to be escorting the vehicle.
The Ukhrul Post Office has lodged an FIR at the Litan Police Station. Regarding the impact of the incident, Ukhrul Postmaster Wungreipam Rimai said, "Postal operations across Ukhrul district have been suspended until further orders from higher authorities." Authorities are currently assessing the total damage as residents face the loss of irreplaceable documents.
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