Movement of commuters came to a standstill along the Imphal-Moreh route owing to a snap strike by drivers of passenger service vans along the NH-102.
Goods ferry vehicles and private vehicles also stayed off the road, reports said.
Drivers of Imphal-Moreh Drivers’ Union launched the strike in protest against the recent murder of one of their colleagues identified as Yanglem Priyobrata (48) of Nachou Awang Leikai in Bishnupur district.
The driver who went missing since December 30 last was found dead in Nagaland on January 7.
Police in Manipur have arrested the alleged accused identified as Heisnam James Singh of Lamboi Khongnangkhong. James’ wife has also reportedly surrendered to the police.
As per a police source, the couple took the driver along with his van (Eco van) on the pretext of traveling to Dimapur of Nagaland on December 30 and killed him.
They reportedly abandoned the dead body in a place under Khuzuma police station of Nagaland where the body was recovered on January 7, around 11:30 am.
The dead body was retrieved by a team of Bishnupur police station of Bishnupur district, in a follow up action to an investigation into the disappearance of the driver.
The deceased driver was a member of the Imphal-Moreh Drivers’ Union, a body of the passenger service vehicles plying on the Imphal-Moreh section of NH-102.
Condemning the murder of one of their colleagues and demanding befitting punishment to the killer(s), the drivers suspended their duty of the day and imposed a snap blockade along the Imphal-Moreh road.
While the drivers in Imphal staged a protest at their parking lot in Imphal’s Yaiskul, their colleagues at Moreh blocked the highway. They prevented plying of all kinds of vehicles, reports said.
While demanding booking of the culprit(s), the drivers also pressed the State Government to provide adequate compensation to the family of the driver.