Two national highways, Manipur's lifelines, are under siege again. The indefinite blockade by a group seeking statehood for Kuki tribal people has begun impacting the frontier state's fuel position besides testing fragile ethnic equations.

The blockade has severely hit inter-state transport and communication between state capital Imphal and five hill districts.

Nagas share large areas of the hills the KSDC wants for the Kuki state. The United Naga Council alleged Naga villagers were being intimidated by the blockade enforcers.

Imphal, like the centre of a stadium with two access routes to the world beyond a gallery of hills dominated by several tribal groups, has begun to feel the pinch. People began queuing up for oil at outlets in a rerun of last year's 100-day blockade.