Cops thrash drivers, flayed
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 14 2013: Alleged thrashing of three truck drivers on May 13 night by suspected police commandos stationed at Patsoi police station has evoked strong protest from Manipur Drivers' Welfare Association (MDWA) and Highway Truck Owners' Welfare Organisation.

In a late night development, disciplinary action has reportedly been taken against the security personnel.

Speaking to newspersons at Manipur press Club, MDWA secretary general Mutum Tomba Singh said some police personnel in civil clothes halted two cement-laden trucks and one carrying rice near Patsoi police station at around 7.30 pm of May 13 when the vehicles were coming from Jiribam side.

After checking the vehicles the security personnel reportedly asked drivers of the cement-loaded trucks (MN04A/2568 & MN04A/7931) to either cough up Rs 500 each or unload five bags each of the construction material.

The Drivers at the Press Club

The driver duo namely Md sultan s/o Ahmed and Daulat Khan s/o Jalal Khan, both from Kwakta area under Bishnupur district, explaining that they would not be able to comply to the commandos' insistence as they had little money left in their possession after the long journey offered to pay Rs 50-100 to which the commandos used abusive languages and bashed them up, said the secretary general.

Even as the thrashing was on, the third rice-laden truck (MN01/6808) driven by Joy Nongmaithem s/o N Ibothem of Senjam Khunou arrived at the scene and he too was subjected to the same ill-treatment/thrashing as his two colleagues.

Apart from assaulting the trio, the police commandos forcibly extracted Rs 300 each from them, Tomba charged and informed that Md Sultan and Joy Nongmaithem are complaining of pain in their ears and poor audibility consequent to the thrashing.

All three underwent treatment at RIMS Hospital at around 10 pm yesterday.

Strongly lamenting that despite toiling in unfriendly conditions and enduring severe natural as well as man-made inconveniences/problems truck operators continue to be frequently targeted by security personnel for no fault of theirs (drivers), the secretary general called upon the Government of Manipur to pull up and punish the rogue commandos along with working out an effective plan to protect the drivers from disruptive elements.

Further informing that last night's incident has been intimated to the Deputy Chief Minister, he also confided that a delegation of drivers' and owners' unions are planning to call on the Union Home Minister and the Prime Minister to highlight plight of Manipuri drivers.

M Tomba also alleged that IRB personnel deployed near the approach road to Liberal College, Luwangshangbam frequently collect unauthorised tax from passenger carriers.

The injured drivers were also present at the media briefing.