Truckers stopped operations on National Highway-37 in Manipur on Thursday (August 13, 2026) following the death of a stranded driver on the highway, even as the State government pushed for the reopening of other highways in the State.

NH-37, the least blockade-prone highway in Manipur, connects State capital Imphal with Silchar in southern Assam. Truckers have been stranded on this highway for almost a month due to sporadic blockades and landslides in Manipur.

A loose association

The truckers said Mahto did not respond to calls on his mobile phone and was later found unconscious in his vehicle on Wednesday. He was rushed to the Jiribam Primary Health Centre, where the doctor on duty declared him dead.

“We want the governments of India, Assam, and Manipur to address our concerns and compensate the deceased driver’s family adequately,” one of the striking drivers said.

The drivers also accused the authorities of ignoring their prolonged ordeal. “We have to be on the roads for weeks without proper food, drinking water, or medical assistance. We are paying a heavy price and risking our lives to transport essential commodities to a State in conflict,” a trucker in Jiribam said. Jiribam is close to the Assam-Manipur border.

The truckers warned that their strike could be extended if the government failed to address issues they faced. Officials in Jiribam said the cause of Mahto’s death could be ascertained after an autopsy.

On August 8, Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh announced the reopening of the State’s arterial highways for all communities. While tribal organisations responded by lifting their blockade on NH-202 (connecting Imphal and Naga-dominated Ukhrul district), there has been no such move on NH-2, which links Imphal and Nagaland’s capital Kohima.

Movement on NH-2, the most preferred lifeline of Manipur, remains restricted for members of certain communities since the ethnic conflict between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei people broke out in May 2023.

Published - August 13, 2026 07:56 pm IST