Drivers, helpers of 20 trucks looted
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 25 2015 :
Drivers and helpers of 20 trucks have been robbed off all their money at Lungkao along Imphal-Jiribam highway at around 9 pm yesterday by unidentified militants suspected to be cadres of NSCN-IM.
The ill-fated trucks were travelling in a convoy of 450 trucks escorted by Manipur Armed Police (MR/IRB) .
Taking advantage of the gap in distance between two consecutive trucks, the armed persons halted the 20 trucks.
When escort personnel passed by them, they hid themselves while the drivers and helpers were kept at gun point.
They also allowed trucks travelling behind to overtake the halted trucks.
Then the armed persons demanded Rs 5000 from each truck.
Even as the drivers and the helpers said that they did not have that much money, the armed persons confiscated all the money the drivers and the helpers had with them.
On the other hand, some unidentified armed persons halted three trucks at Koubru Leikha along Imphal-Dimapur highway at around 6.30 pm and looted cash, mobile phones and other articles from the drivers and their helpers.
The trucks were heading for Dimapur.
Transporters demand : Surface Transport Hills Area Drivers Welfare Union (STHADWU) has demanded the State Government to rein in police personnel who collect taxes at numerous locations on NH-2 and NH-37 .
In a statement, the union said that collection of taxes at innumerable places has given lots of inconvenience to the drivers who have been facing hardships due to landslides on NH-2 and break-down of Barak bridge and dilapidated road condition on NH-37 .
Questioning what type of security has been provided to the transporters on the highways by police, the union said that police must be responsible for looting of three trucks at Koubru Leikha.
The union said that the matter would be complained to Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, who also holds Home portfolio and All Manipur Road Transport Drivers and Motor Workers Union.