Imphal, Nov. 13: Buses plying between Imphal and other cities in the Northeast suspended services from today, just six days after they hit the road, following a threat from a tribal militant group.

Nearly 300 “tourist” buses stopped plying between Imphal, Dimapur, Guwahati and Shillong after the Kuki Liberation Organisation/Kuki Liberation Army warned bus operators along National Highway 39 that they would be responsible for any untoward incident.

A statement issued by the outfit’s secretary, Malsawm Kuki, said the “deadline” for negotiation with the All Manipur Inter State Bus Association had expired without any positive result. So all buses, barring those belonging to a particular bus operator, should stop service until further notice, it added.

The threat was published by an Imphal-based English daily today.

This group had set on fire a Manipur bus bound for Guwahati on October 23 night in Karbi Anglong. Two passengers, including a woman, had died in the blaze while more than 10 passengers suffered burn injuries.

The outfit said it had taken action because the bus association had failed to pay annual “tax” to the KLO/KLA.

In protest, the bus association suspended services from October 24. It resumed plying on November 7 after chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh assured its delegates that security measures would be beefed up along the Imphal-Guwahati highway and ex gratia would be paid to the next of kin of the two victims.

“We decided to suspend service after the KLO/KLA issued threats to the association. Though we did not receive any threat from the outfit, the statement published in one of today's papers made the operators scared,” association president Budha Luwang said.

The association could not say how long the services would be suspended.

Luwang said the association would first apprise director-general of police Yumnam Joykumar Singh about the development and then hold a meeting of its executive members. Only after that would it take a final decision on whether to resume services.

Reacting to the development, a senior government official said the home department had invited leaders of the association for a discussion.

“After our request to the 3 Corps, security along the Imphal-Guwahati highway has been beefed up. If necessary, we will review the security situation along the highway. The transporters should not worry,” a senior home department official said.

The buses were also put off this route by an indefinite economic blockade by the Senapati District Students Association since November 2 to demand repair of the road. The association had relaxed its blockade yesterday, allowing more than 100 stranded trucks to reach Imphal.