Two days after the killing of tower guard of Reliance BTS
Vodafone may go off the air with immediate effect
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 06 2011:
Close on the heels of the assassination of a tower guard of Reliance BTS Mobile in the night of April 4 while he was taking a rest at home, the All Manipur Vodafone Towers Land Owner and Caretakers Association has decided to cease work with immediate effect.
This was decided in an emergency meeting held at its office today.
The members present at the meeting condemned the attack on Keisham Basanta Singh, Caretaker Vodafone Tower No 45 .
Saying that caretakers have nothing to do with the monetary demands served on the company the association urged the concerned not to target tower guards.
On the other hand, the JAC Against the Inhuman Killing of O Borobabu, Caretaker, Reliance has appealed to all concerned to explain the reasons for the killing at the earliest possible.
Late Borobabu was only a simple and innocent man working as a caretaker of the Reliance Telecom Ltd, convenor of the JAC said in a statement.
Meanwhile a massive rally was organised to receive the lifeless body of Borbabu from the morgue of JNIMS to his residence at Wangkhei Wangkheimayum Leirak today.
|
The rallyists carried placards and festoons denouncing the killing in the strongest of terms and demanded that the killers be identified and arrested.
The body of the late man was later consigned to the flames after the mandatory rites and rituals.
This is not the first time that tower guards of mobile service providers have been targeted.
Some time back a security guard/tower guard hired by Aircel, another mobile service provider, from an agency was shot dead, reportedly over some monetary demands.
Aircel service was more or less suspended for some days following the killing with its head office at Khoyathong remaining closed during the said period.
BSNL was the first to come with its post paid mobile service in 2004 while Aircel is the first private mobile service provider to enter the market of Manipur and today it has spread to almost all the districts.
Vodafone, one the other hand, is a relatively late entrant to the State.
Presently private mobile service providers operating in Manipur include Aircel, Vodafone, Airtel, Reliance, Idea and Tata Indicom.