Incessant rain extracts its heaviest price this year, disaster strikes
ROP team Landslide buries six security men alive
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 06 2011: Atleast six personnel of State security forces have been killed today when a massive landslide buried a vehicle carrying a combined team of Manipur Rifles (MR) and India Reserve Battalion (IRB), for deployment on Road Opening Party (ROP) duty along the Imphal-Jiribam section of National Highway 53 .

It is informed that the mishap occurred at near K Sinam village under Tamenglong district when a convoy of two mini buses and nine Maruti Gypsys carrying MR and IRB personnel were heading for Jiribam to escort back goods carriers stranded in the Imphal East district sub-divisional headquarters.

The convoy reportedly left Imphal this afternoon to bring back the loaded trucks tomorrow.

At around 2.15 pm when the convoy crossed K Sinam village, which is about 38 kilometres from here, the ill-fated mini bus bringing up the rear was buried by the massive landslide.

Carrying mud and boulders the landslide was so severe that left side of the mini bus was completely crushed consequently claiming lives of six personnel out of the total of 24 inside the vehicle at the time of the disaster.

The mangled remains of the il fated vehicles carrying the security personnel

Even as the other vehicles had moved ahead the security personnel on hearing the loud bang of the falling debris crushing the rear vehicle rushed back to extricate their colleagues consequently joined by personnel of 86 Bn CRPF and 10 Assam Rifles who were stationed near the spot of incident.

Even though most of the trapped personnel could be pulled out safely albeit injuries of varying degree, the six passed away at the spot.

apart from the joint rescue operation of the security forces which continued till 5.50 pm, an excavator was also used to remove the debris.

Top officials of manipur police reached the spot and were involved in supervising the rescue effort that witnessed mutilated bodies and twisted arms extricated from the damaged vehicle.

Senior police officer S manglemjao told a group of newspersons that the mishap took place as the convoy on ROP duty was about to reach Awang Khul.

Even though several vehicles were stranded on either side of the landslide area for a few hours, vehicular movement has been restored after clearance of the debris.

At the time of filing this report seven of the injured personnel have been brought to RIMS for further treatment, with condition of three stated to be serious.

The deceased jawans identified so far are 5 IRB Havildar Thokchom Yaima (54) of Samaram Mamang Leikai in Thoubal district; 2nd MR Rifleman Nasir Khan (25) of Kwakta in Bishnupur district; 6 IRB Rifleman Athokpam Maradona (26) of Singjamei Wangma Kshetri Leikai; and 8th MR Rifleman Lalchalian Simte from Churachandpur district.

identity of two of the victims could not be confirmed as yet.

It is informed that a similar landslide but with far more larger magnitude had occurred at the around same place on August 24 last year.

There was however no casualty.