Fifty-five days after a highway blockade held the state captive,the Congress-led SPF government in Manipur has declared leaders of the two organisations behind the blockade as wanted persons and declared a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh for each. The two wanted leaders are David Choro (38),president of the All Naga Students Association of Manipur (ANSAM) and Samson Remei,acting president of United Naga Council (UNC). While the two groups launched a highway blockade on April 13 to protest holding of autonomous district council elections,a second blockade by the Naga Students Federation (NSF) in Nagaland further complicated things. The Manipur governments announcement came in the wake of an assurance given by DGP Yumnam Joykumar in the Imphal bench of the Gauhati High Court on June 4 that the state police would leave no stone unturned in arresting the ANSAM and UNC leaders. The High Court had last Friday given ten days time to the police to produce Choro in the court in connection with a PIL against the blockade. Manipur has been reeling under a severe crisis since the two highways,NH53 and NH39,have remained affected due to the economic blockade. Meanwhile,more trucks reached Imphal on Tuesday through NH53 from Jiribam bordering the Assams Cachar district amid heavy security. In a related development,two leaders of the opposition Manipur Peoples Party (MPP) launched a fast-unto-death programme on Monday to draw the Centres attention to the blockade .
