Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 20:
Four drivers who were abducted by unidentified gunmen during the looting incident on the Imphal-Moreh line yesterday have not been released yet.
The All Manipur Road Transport Drivers and Motor Workers Union and All Manipur 407 (Mini Tata) Owners/Drivers Welfare Association have appealed for their safe and immediate release.
The Tata Sumo drivers have been identified as Hahao (MN 02-5696), Jiten (MN 06/0658) and N Nanda (MNlK/0490).The transporters bodies have expressed strong concern with the spurt in looting and abduction on the Moreh-Imphal route.
An unofficial source said that the drivers of three Tata Sumps and one Maruti van were kidnapped by the gunmen between Khudengthabi and Lokchao yesterday morning.
The vehicles were driven back by the second drivers.
The source said that the unidentified gunmen kidnapped around 13 handy men on the route a few days back.
However all of them had been released.
Meanwhile, AISF, Manipur has demanded setting up of a permanent highway protection force for the National Highways immediately saying Government's failure to do so has resulted in the increase in cases of looting, extortion, kidnapping and killing.
Transporters for solution: The Gwalatabi and Yaingang-pokpi Road Transport Association appealed to all private transporters not to ply their vehicles on the Imphal-Nongada road until the transport body resumes its vehicle services.
In a statement, the association said that violators of the ban will be responsible for any untoward incidents.
It has termed yesterday's attack on a Gwaltabi-Imphal passenger bus by militants as very unfortunate and said that transporters had been serving all the communities and groups without any discrimination.
The association has appealed to both the warring UG groups to bring a quick solution.
MSF has termed the incident which led to the suspension of vehicle service on the route as very unfortunate.
It has urged all, including underground organizations not to target public utility services and give hardship to the general public just to attain their objectives.
In a statement, the student body said that the action is very untimely in view of the hardships the people had faced due to the anti-ceasefire movement and the recent imposition of traveling ban on members of a particular community along the Imphal-Jiribam highway by an underground organization.