Imphal, October 08: Striking an ominous stand, the Kuki Revolutionary Army today said that if the All Manipur Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union and Tanker Owners Transporter Association fail to honour the October 9 deadline set by it, then the three drivers in their custody, including the vice president of the drivers' body will be executed.

Moreover, KRA will soon start hitting out at oil tankers.

Even as the KRA took a tough stance, the Manipur Drivers' Welfare Association has appealed to the outfit not to take any drastic steps and added that drviers are small fries plyng passengers, goods and other items to earn a living and feed their families.

Appealing to the KRA to show clemency, the drivers urged them to release the three drivers safely.

Speaking to newsmen today, KRA's publicity secretary DT Haokip said that if the drivers and owners refuse to comply with the deadline set then they should be held responsible for any untoward incident.

Haokip made it clear that the three drivers were abducted not because the KRA has anything against them but because the drivers' body and the owners' association have been refusing to honour the invitation of the outfit for a talk.

Several reminders have been sent, but there has been no response from their side, said the publicity secretary.

The three drivers are being kept safely in the custody of the KRA, he said but if the deadline spelt out is not met, then the outfit will carry out its decision as it has now become a matter of prestige and honour for the KRA, added Haokip.

The Assam town commander of the outfit was also present at the meeting with the newsmen.

The publicity secretary further said that no Kuki outfit operating in Manipur should give their names as Kuki in their second name.

Instead they should use their surnames; he said and added that if any organisation objects to this, then they should state their case within two weeks time.

The term Kuki denotes a Nation and no individual should use it for himself, explained Haokip.

The KRA also accused the secretary of the Scientific Research and Rehabilitation Network, Chingmeirong, Akoijam Mukherjee of Chingmeirong Lei-Ingkhol of collecting over Rs 10 lakhs in the name of the outfit.

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