Manipur: Cyclist and Social Activist Malem Thongam Reaches Imphal Amid Tight Security
Transgender social activist and cyclist Malem Thongam arrived in Imphal early Thursday morning under strict security cover, officials confirmed. Thongam reached Sekmai Police Station in Imphal West district at around 4:30 am after travelling from Senapati district in a specially arranged convoy escorted by the Border Security Force (BSF).
After completing necessary formalities at the police station along with five associates, the activist later proceeded to their residence, sources said.
The heavily guarded movement came against the backdrop of heightened tension following objections raised by Kuki civil society organisations over Malem Thongam’s proposed plan to cycle through Kangpokpi district as part of the “Cycling for Manipur Peace” campaign.
Malem Thongam had started the long-distance peace ride from Qutub Minar in New Delhi on October 2 and has covered over 2,300 kilometres across several states. The cyclist entered Manipur earlier this week and reached the Naga-majority Senapati district on December 17. The original itinerary included passing through Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district on December 19 before concluding the journey in Imphal.
However, the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), a Kuki-Zo civil body based in Kangpokpi, opposed the proposed route. In a statement, COTU cautioned that the cycling programme could spark tension despite being projected as a peace initiative, and demanded that the passage through Kangpokpi be halted. The organisation also stated that any untoward incident during the proposed crossing would be the responsibility of the authorities, not the Kuki-Zo community.
In view of the objections, security forces intensified deployment along National Highway-2 in Kangpokpi district as a precautionary step.
Meanwhile, police confirmed the registration of an FIR related to alleged indiscriminate firing by armed Kuki groups at Torbung in Bishnupur district on Tuesday night. The Torbung–Kangvai stretch remains one of Manipur’s most sensitive zones since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023, with repeated incidents of gunfire, attacks on civilian areas, and recoveries of illegal arms and explosives.
The region serves as a critical buffer between the valley and hill districts and continues to remain under heightened security surveillance.
