Trucks set afire, driver hurt in stone pelting on NH-39, NH-53
NH-39, NH-53 continue to extract its pound of flesh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 19 2010: Two trucks loaded with steel/iron rods have been set ablaze by unidentified persons along the Imphal-Jiribam section of NH-53 while a driver sustained injuries in stone pelting in a Senapati district area, in another incident today.

Ironically these incidents took place, hours before Union Home Minister P Chidambaram painted an improved scenario in Manipur in the Lok Sabha, particularly on the National Highways, with Central para-military forces requisitioned to provide security to the goods laden trucks.

The United Naga Council had reimposed the suspended economic blockade for 20 days since August 4 .

Remains of a torched truck on NH-39-File pic

The trucks were set aflame at Haijang village, which is situated in between Tupul and Kotlien village of Tamenglong district.

The incident reportedly took place at around 7.38 am today, a police source said.

Registration numbers of the charred vehicles are AS01CC/2665 and NL024/9461 .

The driver injured in the stone pelting incident has been identified as Rajen.

The incident occured at around 2.30 pm while the loaded truck was returning to Imphal from Golaghat.

A police source said unidentified miscreants attacked the vehicle (AS01C/0453) at an isolated spot in between Mao Gate and Tadubi.

The source also speculated that the truck might be one of the odd 60 goods carriers that crossed Mao Gate this afternoon.

Further informing that vehicular movement through the landslide zone near Kohima is yet to resume, the police source did not rule out possibility of the vehicle convoy crossing Kohima via by-pass near the sinking zone.