Sub-contractor appeals
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 25 2015: Sub-contractor Naorem Joy Singh has appealed to all concerned for the safe release of YK Daniel (33) s/o YK Aking of Ningthoupham, Senapati district and Bidhu (70) of Kyamgei, Imphal East on humanitarian ground.

According to Joy, YK Daniel was abducted by some unidentified persons from Thonglan Akutpa where he was engaged in a bridge construction work about 26 Kms away from Kangpokpi at around 8.30 pm of March 18 .

Bidhu was abducted by another group of unidentified persons from a work site located between Chalwa and Khoikol at around 7 pm of the same day.

Bidhu was engaged in a road construction work under sub-contractor K Dhiren.

According to N Joy, the armed group(s) never made any monetary demand before the labourers were abducted.

However, after the labourers were abducted, they demanded Rs one crore through mobile phone from contractors and sub-contractors working on Kangpokpi-Tamei road.

Yet, the abductors did not disclose the particular UG group under which they are or were working.

It looked like the abductors were hill people as they were speaking cockeyed or broken Manipuri.

Even as the contractors/sub-contractors wish to negotiate the matter, they have been rendered helpless as the mobile phone through which the abductors first made the monetary demand has been switched off.

Saying that the abducted labourers are daily wage earners and sole bread winners of their respective families, Joy appealed to all concerned to release the labourers safe and sound on humanitarian ground.

On account of many disruptive activities including abduction of labourers, many labourers are now reluctant to work in hill areas.

Coupled with these disruptive activities, the fast approaching rainy season has incapacitated the contractors/sub-contractors to finish the road/bridge construction works in time.

The relevant department and the State Government should intervene in order to secure safe release of the abducted labourers.

State Government authorities should take up special security measures for labourers working on Kangpokpi-Tamei road otherwise no contractor/sub-contactor would be able to execute any work along the said route, Joy said.

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