Imphal, November 25 2010: In the increasing activities of militants in Manipur, drivers of two freight trucks were kidnapped allegedly in connection with monetary demands even as threatening and attacking of houses of individuals were reported at three places in the last 24-hours.The kidnapping of drivers of two freight trucks loaded with potato and cement heading for Imphal from Dimapur took place today around 11.30 am in Taphou area under Senapati police station on the Imphal-Dimapur section of NH-39 .

An official report said that the drivers of the trucks, AS014/7451 (potato loaded) and AS03/AC-2418 (cement loaded), were taken away by suspected militants who stopped the vehicles near 'Iron Factory', Taphou Bazar.

The driver of AS014/7451 was identified as Boinao but the identity of the driver of the other truck could not be confirmed from the source.

On receiving the information, a team of Senapati police rushed to the spot and conducted a search operation to trace the drivers.

But there were no reports of a rescue of the drivers.

On the other hand, after bomb attacks were carried out at the houses of the members of rural elected bodies in Imphal east district, suspected militants today deposited a hand grenade at the office of a gas agency in Imphal.

Police disposed off the hand grenade which was found hanging on the shutters of the Thoubal Gas Agency office at Kakwa Bazar under Singjamei police station.

They suspected the bomb threat is related with extortion demands.

Reports said that the hand grenade was found hanging on the shutters of the office when officials of the gas agency turned for the day's work.

On the other hand, residents of Kairang in Imphal east today staged a sit-in protest to register a strong condemnation of the act of suspected undergrounds who threatened Laisham Khunou zilla parishad member Takhellambam Nandababu at Kairang Maning Leikai by depositing a bomb in his residence yesterday evening.

Nandababu who also took part in the protest hinted that the bomb threat at his house and the blast that took place at house of the adhayaksha Pungsungbam Bimola might be related with an extortion demand served by a group of KCP (MC) .

Around 15 days back, activists of the group dropped a demand letter in the office chamber of Imphal east zilla parishad adhayaksha Bimola.

In the letter, they demanded Rs 20 lakh from the adhayaksha and Rs one lakh each from its members.

Around a week back in the later part of the day, a youth claiming to be an activist of the group came to his house and provided a mobile phone number to contact one Maya who he claimed to be the senior leader Nandababu said.

This was followed by the bomb being deposited yesterday, he added.

Mention may be made that at late last night a bomb out of two lobbed by suspected KCP (MC) activists at the house of the Adhayaksha of Imphal east zilla parishad, Punsungbam Bimola Devi, exploded at the front courtyard of the house at Achanbigei barely four hour after a failed bomb-attack was launched at the house of a member of the same parishad T Nandababu at Kairang village.

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