UNC's blockade supporters burn rice laden truck at Senapati, driver still untraced
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, August 22 2011: A fully loaded rice truck which was taking the advantage of accompanying an Army convoy was burnt to ashes by blockade supporters at Senapati head quarter this evening.

The driver of the ill fated truck is still untraceable.

The incident occurred around 6.30 this evening when the rice loaded truck (AS 01 DC-4543) after loading rice from the FCI godown at Dimapur was accompanying the Army convoy which was heading for Imphal.

Reports say that the blockade supporters getting information about the rice loaded truck accompanying the convoy waited for the Army convoy to arrive at Senapati bazar.

As soon as the convoy arrived, the blockade supporters halted the Army convoy and enquired about the rice loaded truck.

The driver of the truck initially said that the rice were meant for the Army.

But since he could not bring out the required documents as demanded by the blockade supporters the rear part of the truck was set ablaze.

However police, AR and Fire Service personnel arrived at the spot and saved the truck from further damages.

Nevertheless, around 8 pm in the evening hundreds of blockade supporters including women and youths came out and a tussle between them and the security personnel occured.

Ultimately the mob outsmarted the combined forces comprising of para military forces and police personnel and burnt the truck using Molotov cocktails.

Reports reaching here further said that the whereabouts of the driver is still not known.

Police are also in doubt whether he is in the hands of the blockade supporters or not.

The owner of the truck has also not been identified as of now.

Meanwhile, trucks which left Imphal on NH 53 for ferrying goods have reached Gularthol Police Station in Jiribam this evening.

On the other hand, around 100 loaded trucks are ready to leave for Imphal.

Not all trucks which left Imphal for Jiribam three days back have reached Jiribam.

Some of the trucks are still stranded at Kaimai due to the bad conditions of the road.

Around 500 trucks and oil tankers have reached Jiribam.

Among them 70 oil tankers are about to leave for Ramnagar in Silchar to load petroleum products and another 60 will be proceeding for Guwahati shortly.

170 trucks have been loaded with rice.

These trucks will be leaving for Imphal as soon as the oil tankers from Silchar arrives, says a report from Jiribam.

Meanwhile about 50 goods laden trucks left Senapati and proceeded towards Jiribam following the warning of the SDSA to leave Senapati.

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