KPLT fires on passenger bus, 3 hurt
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 25, 2011: At least one bus driver and two passengers have been injured when the vehicle they were travelling in were attacked by cadres of Karbi People's Liberation Tigers (KPLT) at Karbi Anglong in Assam.

On the other hand, LPG bullet tanker drivers Long-jam Arun (43), Thokchom Jiten (34) and handyman Suresh (19) were captured by KPLT cadres on January 16. In the meantime, KPLT cadres attacked a bus and a truck heading for Imphal from Guwahati at Deopani area at around 4 am today opening indiscriminate firing.

The attack caused injuries to three persons including a bus driver and a woman.

However, the goods laden truck moving in front of the bus escaped unscathed.

The bus bore several bullet holes.

Earlier, the KPLT cadres captured three transporters after attacking a convoy of LPG tankers with gunfire.

Holding the three transporters as hostage, the KPLT had demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakhs.

However, the two drivers and the handyman were released yesterday at Deopani area of Karbi Anglong from where they were captured 10 days back.

All three of them who belong to Sekmai reached Imphal today.

Talking about their ordeal in the custody of KPLT in the office of All Manipur Road Transport Drivers' and Motor Workers Union at Mantripukhri today, the freed transporters said that they were blindfolded soon after they were captured.

Then they were taken around on foot for about 5 Kms during which they were caned and kicked.

The captors said that they were captured because of the arrogance of their vehicle owners.

In case the vehicle owners failed to come to an understanding with the KPLT by January 24, all three of them would be killed, the transporters recalled as said by their captors.

However, the captors released them yesterday and directed a local villager to lead them till Deopani Forest Gate.

The freed drivers and handyman then came to Dimapur from Deopani in auto-rickshaw and Tata Magic.

They came to Imphal from Dimapur by bus.

NH 39 had witnessed such incidents in the past and similar incidents would be happening on the highway in future too.

But the Government is unable to provide adequate security while the vehicle owners share little concern on the plight of drivers, they lamented.

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