Security forces aiding truck movement with essentials
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 21 2023:
Trucks carrying es-sential commodities to vio-lence-hit Manipur are plying with special security cover to ensure that there is no short-age of goods in the state, a defence spokesperson said on Sunday.
The Army and Assam Rifles along with the state government, Manipur Po-lice and central armed police forces are working to pro-vide protection to vehicles carrying such goods to and from Imphal via NH 37, the spokesperson said.
Prophylactic Area Domi-nation Patrols of Army and Assam Rifles, Quick Reac-tion Teams operating from Company Operating Bases located along NH 37, aerial surveillance by unmanned aerial vehicles and Cheetah helicopters, Companies of CRPF and Manipur Police personnel along with per-sons from India Reserve Battalion have been tasked to ensure the security of ci-vilian vehicles plying on NH 37, he said.
To guarantee dedicated security, vehicles are also accompanied by Quick Re-sponse Teams of the Manipur Police and CRPF, he added.
Truck movement to the Imphal Valley had stopped due to roadblocks and fear among transporters as clashes broke out in Manipur after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community s de-mand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
"As a result, the stock of essential supplies in the state was dwindling and beginning to reach critical levels which resulted in planning movement through NH 37," the Defence PRO, Imphal, said.
Movement of trucks on NH 37 commenced on May 15 and security forces remain com-mitted to restoring complete normalcy, the spokesperson said.
Around 243 trucks/vehicles carrying es-sential goods, including 74 oil and gas bullet tankers, which were stranded along the NH-37(Imphal-Jiribam) due to the May 3 riots in the state, arrived here on Saturday under the escort of Manipur Police, BSF, CRPF and Assam Rifles.
The violence in Manipur was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.
The ethnic clashes claimed over 70 lives and some 10,000 army and para-military personnel had to be deployed to restore normalcy in the state.
( With inputs from PTI) .