IMPHAL, August 9: A cement laden truck was yesterday hijacked by suspected NSCN (IM) cadres on the Jiribam Highway near Awang Khul for a monetary demand of Rs 7 lakhs, police sources said.
It is worth mentioning that NSCN (IM) is in talks with the Indian government, although the ceasefire is not in operation in the state.
According to police, the Imphal bound truck (ASC 04/5823) was waylaid by suspected cadres of the NSCN (IM) at a village called Rangkhong situated between Noney and Awang Khul around 5 pm yesterday.
The village is about 4 kms from Noney and about 1 km from Awang Khul, the birthplace of Rani Gaidinliu.
The hijacked truck belongs to one Nighthoujam Jiten, aged 44 of Top Moirang Kampu in Imphal East.
Earlier, in a similar incident suspected cadres of the same group had hijacked and burnt a truck at Rangkhong.
Till date, there is no report of the truck being released.
Interestingly, the villages around Noney station are within the operational area of the 10th Assam Rifles.
Concerns have been raised as to how the armed underground cadres could operate at will and carry out extortion on trucks carrying goods meant for the state.
Truckers are voicing a demand for reinstating the police commando post at Noney.
An appeal has also been made to the drivers of goods laden trucks coming from Jiribam with armed security escort to desist from jumping the convoy in a bid to reach Imphal quickly and sometimes leaving stragglers at the mercy of armed miscreants.