Indefinite bandh on commercial trucks along NH-2 Oil tankers, LPG bullet trucks damaged
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 21 2022: A large number of people who had come out to protest the hit and run case at Kangpokpi on January 19 went berserk and damaged some oil tanker trucks and LPG bullet trucks escorted by CRPF at Keithelmanbi along the Imphal-Mao road today at around 2.30 am .

Civil bodies of Kangpokpi under the aegis of KSO Sadar Hills went ahead with the indefinite total bandh on all commercial trucks from today as the accused of the case has not turned up.

In the hit and run case of January 19, a 23-year old man from Keithelmanbi Military Colony in Champhai Sub Division of Kangpokpi was allegedly killed.

Reportedly, the bandh supporters halted altogether 105 POL and LPG trucks at Keithelmanbi at around 2.30 am and vandalized 59 of them, including 18 LPG, three BPCL and 38 IOCL trucks.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, president of All Manipur Petroleum Products Transporters' Association and All Manipur Bulk LPG Transporters' Association, A Tamphayai stated that the Imphal bound POL and LPG trucks were attacked by the bandh supporters using heavy objects such as stones, clubs etc.

Indefinite bandh on commercial trucks along NH-2 Oil tankers, LPG bullet trucks damaged

In the attack, two drivers namely Basanta and Nisan sustained injuries, he said and added that headlights and windshields of most of the vehicles have also been damaged.

Claiming that the CRPF personnel who escorted the tanker trucks and district police who rushed to the site remained a silent spectator throughout the attack, he maintained that attackers directed the drivers to head towards T Khullen instead.

Saying that the injured drivers are still at Keithelmanbi along with their trucks, he urged the State Government to bring back the stranded trucks to Imphal at any cost and compensate for the damage incurred.

The truckers will not dispatch the oil if the demand is unheeded, he warned.

Meanwhile, supply to the oil pumps of Malom depot has stopped as the drivers have refused to take the wheels.

KSO Sadar Hills in an earlier press conference made a fervent appeal to the accused and associations concerned to resolve the matter amicably so as to avoid any untoward incident.

It had also urged the State Government to take the matter very seriously.

The movement of escorted trucks and tankers despite the appeal aggravated the already volatile situation, reports our correspondent.

It is also reported that the civil bodies of Kangpokpi may intensify the stir and impose a bandh on the movement of all vehicles along National Highway 2 .

There is also a report of the civil bodies meeting the Government representatives this late evening over the matter but nothing could be ascertained till the time of filing this report.