Ever since the COVID-19 began spreading, women vigilantes and local youth in the border State of Manipur have been doing their bit to impose lockdown restrictions to fight the pandemic. Officials said that the limited number of police and paramilitary personnel could not strictly enforce indefinite curfew and total lockdown. This is confirmed by the huge number of motorbikes and cars that ply on all roads violating with impunity the curfew and lockdown restrictions.

Tribal villagers along the international border with Myanmar have erected wooden fencings to prevent foreigners from entering their villages. The State government had also closed the international gates I and II, and the centres of the legalised border trade, Moreh in Manipur and Namphalong in Myanmar, also wore a deserted look.

In the backdrop of the daily increase in the number of infections, the youth have erected fences at the entrance of their villages and nearby localities. No villager is allowed to leave or enter the villages. “This is a serious attempt to check the rapid spread of the disease,” said Akoijam Roshan, an activist in Thoubal district. Exemptions are made for emergencies and essential services such as medical, water supply, fire services and the media.

Besides, the youth are spraying chemicals to stop the spread of the infection. Whenever a person is tested positive, the house is cordoned off and even the national highways that pass through villages are closed. Officials say that it is against the law to block the national highways. So far, no obstacles along the highways have been removed.

The local youth clubs and women vigilantes have also driven out drug offenders and convicted murderers from the villages.

Appreciating the positive role of the local youth, police say that the number of the infections in Manipur would have been much higher without their assistance. The youth are visiting houses for carrying out thermal screening of the people. So far, 22 persons had died in the State due to COVID-19 infection. The number of infected persons stood at 5,132, out of which, 1,655 are active cases and 3,455 persons had recovered.