Sit-in-protest to demand district in Manipur

Imphal, July 27 (PTI) Hundreds of people launched a sit-in protest to press for creation of Sadar Hills area in Manipur's Senapati district as a district, official reports said today.Reports said hundreds of people including women gathered at Kangpokpi town hall area, about 35 km north of here, yesterday and launched a sit-in protest demanding conversion of Sadar Hills area into a full-fledged revenue district.Tonghen Kipgen, secretary of Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC), which organised the protest, said they would launch a series of agitation including economic blockade of NH-39 (Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati) to press their demand.Major portion of NH-39 in Manipur passes through Sadar hills area.Official sources said previous Manipur governments had decided to convert Sadar hills area into a full-fledged revenue district but it withdrew at the last minute.Kuki-majority Sadar hills area is also inhabited by different ethnic communities including Nagas, Nepalis and Meiteis, sources said adding that a section of an ethnic community had objected to Manipur government's decision to convert the area into a full-fledged district.