IMPHAL, Jan 18: A Maruti van was hijacked today by two unidentified persons and set ablaze by the two perpetrators today morning at around 10:30 pm at Ningombam Makha Maning Leikai.
According to a reliable source, the incident occurred today morning after two unidentified youths who came riding a Honda Activa hired the Maruti van from the Moreh parking, Kanglapat. The driver of the van bearing registration No.MN04/A/5158 who is identified as one Lourembam Somorjit, 26, s/o Tombi of Thoubal Athokpam was convinced by the two youths that they will have to pick an ailing person and visit Serou.
When the van started off from his parking place one of the two youths got himself seated inside the van, while the other followed them on his Honda Activa.
However on reaching the outskirt area of the Ningombam village, the youth seating inside the van requested the van driver to stop the vehicle. Meanwhile the other youth who followed on his moped suddenly stopped his moped and brandishing a small fire arm started firing towards the van, on which the driver get down from his vehicle and started running.
The source further maintained that the two youths on seeing the driver run away from the vehicle took out a bottle of what could be petrol and after dousing the van with it, set the vehicle ablaze.
