Postal van carrying passports, ATM cards set ablaze in Manipur by armed miscreants

The incident took place in Manipur's Ukhrul district along National Highway 202 when the mail van was transporting postal consignments from Imphal. The burnt consignments contained passports, ATM cards, educational certificates, letters and household items.Following the incident, employees of the Head Post Office in Imphal staged a one-day protest, condemning the attack on the postal department. (Representative image)An Indian Postal Service mail van carrying passports, ATM cards, educational certificates and other important documents was intercepted by unidentified miscreants and 35 mail bags was set ablaze in Manipur, police said on Tuesday.The incident took place in Manipur’s Ukhrul district along National Highway 202 when the mail van was transporting postal consignments from Imphal to Ukhrul, Somdal and Kamjong districts.According to Ukhrul Sub-Post Office Postmaster Wungreipam Rimai, the assailants intercepted the vehicle and claimed to be supporters of the ongoing counter-economic blockade before forcibly setting all the postal bags on fire.Officials said the destroyed consignments included 23 parcel bags, two speed post bags, three ordinary mail bags and two registered parcel bags meant for Ukhrul. Postal articles destined for Somdal and Kamjong were also destroyed, including one parcel bag, two speed post bags and one ordinary mail bag. The burnt consignments contained passports, ATM cards, educational certificates, letters and household items. According to the investigators, an FIR has been registered and police have launched an investigation to identify those responsible. Following the incident, employees of the Head Post Office in Imphal staged a one-day protest, condemning the attack on the postal department.Senior Postal Assistant Moirangthem Nabachandra said that the mail van, despite travelling with a security convoy, was intercepted by armed miscreants who held the driver at gunpoint before taking the vehicle to a nearby hilltop, where the mail bags were set ablaze.Appealing to all sections of society not to target postal services, Nabachandra said postal consignments often carry life-saving medicines, educational materials, official documents and other essential items that people depend on.In the aftermath of the attack, the Ukhrul District Post Office suspended its official operations until higher authorities put in place adequate security measures for postal services.The incident comes amid heightened tensions in parts of Manipur's hill districts following recent friction between Kuki-Zo and Naga groups.A Kuki civil society organisation had recently announced a counter-economic blockade and the closure of institutions in 14 Kuki-Zo villages across Ukhrul, Kamjong and Kangpokpi districts.However, police said no organisation has been linked to the attack so far.Officials stressed that the perpetrators remain unidentified and urged against attributing responsibility to any particular community while the investigation is underway.- EndsPublished By: Shipra ParasharPublished On: Jul 29, 2026 11:42 IST