Imphal, October 24 2008: In a gruesome incident, atleast two passengers , a man and a woman have been charred to death while several other sustained burnt injuries when unidentified gunmen poured petrol and set aflame a passenger bus going to Guwahati from Imphal at Naorijan area of Karbi-Anglong district in Assam last night.

The two deceased may have been Robert Golmei of Tamenglong, an army personnel posted at Siliguri and Ms Gimphaliu (60) of Chalhaiba village in CCpur district, said the president of All Manipur Inter-State Bus Association .

In protest against the incident, All Manipur Inter-State Bus Association has decided to cease bus service indefinitely.

According to information received from the Police Outpost of Khatkhati, the incident occurred at around 8.25 pm at Naorijan area of Assam located just 200 metres from Dimapur of Nagaland.

Quoting the statement of the driver, the police source said that just after the passenger bus of the Imphal Airbus Travels (registration no.MN01-1664) carrying 32 passengers entered Assam, some unidentified gunmen stopped it.

As the fidgeted passengers insisted that they were getting late, the bus moved ahead.

But the gunmen chased after the moving bus and set it on fire after pouring petrol from the top.

As the leaping flames started engulfing the entire bus, the passengers made a frantic attempt to get out of the bus.

However, two passengers, a man and a woman could not escape the blazing fire and were charred to death.

The bodies are kept in the mortuary of Diphu Civil Hospital located at Karbi-Anglong district headquar'ters.

Diphu Civil Hospital located at Karbi-Anglong district headquarters.

Other passengers who escaped with burnt injuries have been brought and admitted to various hospitals of Dimapur.

Though no one have been arrested in connection with the incident so far, investigation is under-way, police sources said.

Meanwhile, in protest against the incident, All Manipur Inter-State Bus Association has decided to suspend indefinitely all the inter-State bus services between Imphal and other places like Guwahati, Dimapur and Shillong until the arrest of the miscreants and deployment of Highway Protection Force by the Govt of Manipur.

The decision to this effect was arri'ved at during a joint emergency meeting of the Asso'ciation today.

The Association has also convened a joint meeting with other organisations tomorrow to discuss the future course of actions to be taken up.

Talking to mediapersons, Association president Athokpam Buddha Luwang said that the Association has been exerting pressures on the State Government for deploying Highway Protection Force to ensure security along the route, provide land for setting up booking counters and proper parking lots at Guwahati, Shillong and Dimapur in view of frequent disruption by bandh/blockade and development of he National Highway on top of providing adequate security to curb collection of illegal taxes in Senapati an Kangpokpi area.

However, the Govt has not given any positive response so far.

Highlighting these demands and other related matters, two separate memorandums have also been submitted to Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh yesterday, he informed.

Coming out strongly against the incident of setting aflame the passenger bus, All Manipur Road Transport Drivers and Motor Workers' Union has also announced its decision of extending support to the cause of the Inter-State Bus Association.