Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, June 16, 2010:
An underground group under Suspension of Operation pact with the government forces started collecting money from some villages on the sides of the NH-53 and vehicles plying the stretch.
The activities of the group have been strongly condemned by the villagers and highway travelers.
Reports said that suspected cadres of the Kuki National Front (Military Council)-KNF(MC)-allegedly collected money from the highway travelers near the Phaiton village on the NH-53. Phaiton village is located some seven kilometer on the east of the Jiribam police station on the NH-53.An official source said that the outfit has its designated camp Shivapuri under newly opens Sunu police station of Churachandpur district where its cadres are to stay together.
Around 40 armed cadres of the outfit are taking shelter at Phaiton village and extorting money from the highway travelers.
Their stay in the village was also against the wills of the villagers.
They do not want them staying in their village.
The report further said that villagers also fear of violent incidents if another rival group came to their village.
Yesterday also cadres of KNF(MC) summoned drivers of the vehicles and served their monetary demands.
The cadres are allegedly violating the ground rules of the tripartite agreement on Suspension of Operation signed with the state and Central governments by moving out from their designated camps and carrying out extortion activities.
Under the SoO agreement, if they move out of the designated camp, they should not carry arms, reports said drawing the attention of the government.