Truck loaded with construction materials set afire
Source: The Sangai Express
Moirang, June 15 2024:
At least one truck loaded with construction materials for building a bridge at Churachandpur was set ablaze by a large number of people at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai under Moirang police station, today while another got partially burnt as it caught the fire.
Reportedly, it was four four loaded trucks which were transporting construction materials of which two were saved by the Central forces and Bishnupur police from being incinerated.
The trucks were heading towards Churachandpur from Imphal.
One truck was gutted by the fire while another got partially burnt.
The incident took place at around 3 pm .
Of the four trucks, one was a 22-wheeler.According to one of the drivers, the trucks were loaded at Sekmai and they were heading to Singhat in Churachandpur.
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He said that they had made many trips earlier under security cover.
As per a report culled from the spot, the trucks were transporting steel girders of Bhartia Infra Project Limited (BIPL) to construct a bridge along National Highway 102-B (Chura-chandpur-Tuivai Road) .
All the drivers of the four trucks were non-locals.
The trucks were intercepted at Trongloabi Awang Leikai and on interrogating the drivers it was found that they were heading to Churachandpur.
The trucks were then made to park at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai ground by the people.
People in large numbers rushed to the ground on hearing the news about the transportation and set one truck on fire first.
Soon after, a team of Bishnupur police and Central forces led by Additional SP (Ops) L Amarjit, Additional SP (L&O) Satyam Takhellambam and Officer in-Charge of Bishnupur commandos Shaktisen rushed to the ground and fired three/four rounds of tear gas shells to control the situation.
The fire from the truck, however, spread to another truck which was parked next to it.
Personnel of Moirang Fire Services attempted to rush to the ground and snuff out the fire but they were stopped by a large number of people along the way, prompting the security forces to rely on the fire extinguishers which were in the casspirs of the Central forces to douse the flame.
As the fire intensified, the security forces also threw water on the burning trucks and doused the flame.
After the fire was doused, a large number of people came out again and started agitating following which a team of RAF personnel arrived at the spot to control the situation.
Later, an agreement was reached between the police and the locals of Tronglaobi to take the burnt trucks to Imphal and to keep the construction materials at the site of the incident (Trongloabi Awang Leikai ground) .
It is said that Central forces have blocked the Tiddim road at the adjacent area between Tronglaobi and Moirang by parking two casspirs in the middle of the road.