Kuki protesters blocked school buses and vans carrying Kendriya Vidyalaya Leimakhong students, disrupting classes and escalating tensions in Manipur's volatile Leimakhong corridor.
Imphal, July 3: The prolonged ethnic tensions in Manipur reached one of the state's most strategically sensitive educational institutions on Friday after Kuki protesters blocked school buses carrying students to Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) No. 3, Leimakhong, forcing the suspension of normal classes and raising fresh concerns over the safety of schoolchildren in conflict-affected areas.
The blockade occurred at around 7.30 am along the Ex-Servicemen Colony Road near Kanto Sabal in Imphal West district, where protesters allegedly stopped buses transporting students to the school situated within the Leimakhong military complex.
According to reports, the protesters prevented buses carrying Meitei, Naga and Nepali students from entering the school campus. Many students were stranded outside before being forced to return home, resulting in the disruption of the day's academic activities.
The incident marks the first reported disruption of classes at the strategically located Kendriya Vidyalaya since the ongoing confrontation over the Leimakhong corridor intensified following the killing of six Naga civilians in June.
The blockade triggered an immediate reaction from parents and local residents, who gathered at Kanto Sabal and staged a counter-protest demanding safe passage for students. Officials of the Indian Army's Red Shield Division, headquartered at Leimakhong, arrived at the site to calm the situation.
According to residents, Army officials assured them that adequate arrangements would be made to ensure the safe movement of schoolchildren in the coming days. However, parents reportedly sought a written assurance from the Army regarding security arrangements.
The officials declined to issue a written commitment, following which the residents expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding students' daily commute. No violence or injuries were reported during Friday's incident.
The disruption has drawn attention to the unique position of Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 3, Leimakhong, which serves not only civilian families from surrounding villages but also the children of Indian Army personnel posted at Leimakhong Military Station, the headquarters of the 57 Mountain Division, also known as the Red Shield Division. The military station is one of the Indian Army's principal operational bases in the Northeast and plays a critical role in security operations across Manipur and adjoining states.
Located on the western edge of the Imphal Valley near the boundary between Imphal West and Kangpokpi districts, Leimakhong has become a critical interface between the valley and hill regions since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023. The military station sits astride one of the principal approaches connecting Imphal with Kangpokpi and the NH-2 corridor, making it strategically significant for both military logistics and civilian movement.
The Kendriya Vidyalaya functions as one of the few educational institutions in the area catering to both defence families and civilians. Any disruption to access routes therefore directly affects children from multiple communities studying under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) system.
The school blockade came less than 24 hours after security forces prevented a potentially violent confrontation between Kuki protesters and local Meitei and Naga residents in the same corridor.
On Thursday, nearly a thousand Kuki protesters reportedly marched towards Kanto Sabal demanding the lifting of the ongoing economic blockade affecting Kuki villages in Kangpokpi district.
RELATED NEWS: Security Forces Prevent Face-off During Kuki Protest Against Economic Blockade
At the same time, Meitei and Naga residents had assembled near Kanto Sabal in support of the economic blockade enforced by the United Naga Council (UNC), which is demanding justice for the killing of six Naga civilians allegedly by Kuki individuals.
Central security forces and Manipur Police intercepted the Kuki procession at Leimakhong Chingmang, preventing the protesters from reaching Kanto Sabal and averting a direct confrontation.
Although tensions remained high, no casualties were reported.
The latest disruption reflects the growing strategic importance of the Leimakhong-Kanto Sabal corridor, which has emerged as one of the most volatile flashpoints in Manipur since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023.
The corridor connects the Imphal Valley with the hill districts and hosts key military installations, civilian settlements and critical road links. It has witnessed repeated incidents of armed attacks, village burnings, military operations, sabotage, disappearances, protests and economic blockades over the past three years.
Among the major incidents recorded in the area are attacks on villages during the initial phase of the ethnic violence in 2023, armed confrontations involving village volunteers and militants, the disappearance of Military Engineering Services supervisor Kamalbabu Singh from Leimakhong Military Station in November 2024, disputes involving neighbouring Naga villages, and the June 2026 killing of six Naga hostages that triggered widespread protests and the ongoing economic blockade along NH-2.
Security agencies have since maintained a heavy deployment across the corridor owing to its operational significance and its proximity to the Army headquarters.
Civil society organisations and student bodies have repeatedly warned that prolonged ethnic tensions are increasingly affecting access to education across conflict-affected areas of Manipur.
Friday's blockade demonstrates how the conflict is no longer confined to highways and buffer zones but is now directly disrupting schools attended by children from different communities.
Parents expressed concern that repeated disruptions could adversely affect students' academic schedules and urged authorities to evolve a permanent mechanism to guarantee uninterrupted access to educational institutions regardless of ongoing protests.
There was no official statement from the Manipur Government, the Army or Kuki organisations regarding the blockade at the time of filing this report.
