Imphal, May 13 2009: THE ALLEGED ever growing monetary demands and extortion bids by state based militant outfits in Manipur hit pharmacies in Imphal as wholesalers of life saving drugs suspended distribution of the drugs from Wednesday owing to the threats received from the Kangleipak Communist Party-Military Council (KCP-MC), a state based militant outfit.

All pharmacies remained closed.

This comes a day after the Ngari (fermented fish) dealers in Imphal down shutter their shops Tuesday owing to the same reason - unbearable extortion demand from militants in the state.

Life saving drug (LSD) wholesale dealers in Imphal down shutter their shops and suspended drug supply to the pharmacies in connection with the heavy monetary demands from the KCP (MC).

Reportedly the outfit has demanded Rs.10 lakhs from the medical section.

According to reports, the KCP (MC) has been exerting strong pressure on the LSD dealers in the capital to pay Rs.10 lakhs.

In this connection, the dealers closed down their shops about two weeks back but reports have it that police commandos forced them to open and the matter has been silent till then.

However, in the last few days, persons identifying themselves as activists of the KCP(MC) threatened the drug dealers of dare consequences if they continue their business further without meeting their demands.

On getting repeated threats over mobile phones to the dealers, LSD dealers have decided to close down their shops indefinitely effective from today and during the closer no drug will be distributed to the retailers, a drug dealer disclosed.

Meanwhile, Ngari (Fermented fish) wholesalers have also closed down their shops Tuesday owing to the unbearable monetary demand served on them by various militant outfits.

Various underground outfits are demanding a total amount of around Rs.8 lakhs from 17 (seventeen) dry fish dealers in the Imphal market, informed Kh Nandakishore, a wholesaler in Imphal market taking part in a sit-in protest staged at Uripok in Imphal West Wednesday.

He disclosed that outfits like Naga National Council (NNC), United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Kangleipak Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and the Military Council (MC) faction of the KCP are demanding money from the them.

Apart from this, the dealers also a sum of Rs.35,000 annually to the NSCN (IM) as �godown tax" and Rs.8,000 per trip on route from Assam to Imphal on the NH-39, Nandakishore added.

The Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) and Kuki Liberation Front (KLF) are also collecting Rs.10,000 each from the trucks ferrying dry fish from Assam, disclosed the wholesale dealer asserting further they have to pay Rs.1000 per load of truck to the KYKL, the outfit which is also collecting Rs 50,000 from each shop per year.

KCP and KCP (MC) are demanding around Rs 1 lakh from the dealer where as the UNLF is demanding with no fix amount, stated Nandakishore disclosing they are not able to pay PREPAK's demand last year.

Comment