Imphal, April 30 2009: THE FELONIOUS act of extorting money from vehicles plying along the Imphal-Dimapur section of the NH-39 are on the raise again as rebels of different outfits operating actively on the stretch are emerged and started collection of "tax' from the commercial truckers.

Apart from the rebels even police and state security forces deploying along the stretch are also collecting money from the truckers even though the amount is meager compared to that collecting by the miscreants in the name of different rebel groups, a driver contacted by Hueiyen Lanpao revealed.

Independent reports received by the Hueiyen Lanpao here from various sources said that miscreants claiming themselves to be members of the different rebel outfits are currently collecting money from the truckers at separate points from Motbung to Taphou under Kangpokpi police station and at Karong, Maram and Tadubi area under Senapati police station of Senpati district.

At certain points on the stretch from Motbung to Taphou of the highway, militants claim themselves to be KNF and KRU are collecting money ranging from Rs 5000 to Rs 50,000 from the truckers ferrying commercial goods.

They are demanding Rs 1 lakh from the goods owners and Rs 5000 from vehicle owners as annual "tax" payable to the outfits, according to the drivers who wanted to omit their names for future security.

To get the monetary demand they served, rebels used to detain handyman or co-driver of the trucks and released them after getting the money.

Rs 1 lakh, they demanded could be negotiate and after negotiation, goods owners reportedly through the truckers give the outfit from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000, the drivers disclosed.

At the said area where militants are carrying out, IRB on duty and police also collecting little amounts from the truckers but they are not taking care of the extortion carrying out by the militants, drivers alleged.

Activists of the NSCN (IM) and one faction of the outfit are also currently collecting "annual tax" from the truckers at separate points located between Karong and Tadubi, sometimes at Maram area of the stretch of the highway, the drivers reported.

They are collecting Rs 8000 per truck including Rs 3000 in addition to their rate of "tax" payable annually to the outfits (Rs 5000) as late fine stating that the truckers should pay the tax before April of every year.

Truckers intercepted with them and found not paying the tax were asked to pay out the money at the earliest to avoid any untoward incident which may happen for not clearing the tax, truckers disclosed.

Commercial vehicles plying on the stretch of the highways passing through the state have been facing collection of money in various forms by the rebel outfits and it has been observed that prices of all kinds of goods items importing to the state are skyrocketing because of these extortion menace.

Government is also planning to deployment of police commandos on the national highways till the completion of the rail-line upto Imphal which is targeted within 2012 or 2015, to curb the extortion carry out by the militant outfits.

Government analysis reports stated that undergrounds, mostly by the NSCN(IM) are collecting illegal taxes at Dimapur from all goods ferrying vehicles, passenger buses and taxis like Tata Sumo etc.

from Manipur.

Goods brought by train upto Dimapur by train mean for Manipur are not allowing lifting from Dimapur without payment of huge extortion money.

The activities of the rebel group are above other groups collecting money in the form of gowdown tax, goods tax, vehicles tax etc.

which government has the report.

Inside the state, the extortion is carrying out by the undergrounds from the contract works including supply, transportation, contracts, etc.

Apart from this, they are also indulging in carrying out contract works through contractors sponsored by them.

To deal effectively with these menaces, Manipur government is also planning to set up a Special under the Manipur police department which will have its branches outside the state and work in co-ordination with the police of the other state where the branches are to be open.

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