IMPHAL, August 1: Two Village Defence Force personnel who had assaulted tanker drivers and fired their service 303 rifles in inebriated condition injuring an individual near the toll tax at Manipur Mall, Mantripukhri have been terminated from service today.
The incident happened late last night.
According to reports received by the IFP, the two personnel have been identified as N Jemson (no 0915417) son of N Biramani Singh of Heingang and S Premananda Singh (No 0915197) son of (L) S Kuber Singh of Sagolmang Bazar.
The man injured during the firing of the VDF personnel has been identified as one Md Abas Khan (37), son of Md Ibothem of Kyamgei Uruppat a personnel of the toll tax.
A bullet hit him on his right side shin and pierced through his calf tearing away a part of his calf muscle. He is said to be in a critical condition.
Sources said that fuel tankers which were supposed to leave Imphal late last night for transportation of fuel from Assam had been lining up along the Mantripukhri stretch of the National Highway 2 since yesterday evening after getting their tokens from the Indian Oil Corporation Depot at Chingmeirong.
After the queue got longer and reached the Manipur High Court Gate and Chingmeirong, the security personnel on duty at the court came out and asked them not to park there.
When tankers started to move out from the area and proceeded towards Mantripukhri however, the two VDF personnel in cahoots with the toll tax personnel downed the toll gate.
Following the action of the VDF and the toll tax personnel, the tanker drivers told them that they were going outside the state for transportation of fuel and LPG for the state and were supposed to leave at 11:30pm along with CRPF escort.
However, despite the tankers clarification, the VDF personnel who were in a inebriated condition started assaulting the tanker drivers and handymen.
Hearing the commotion, the tanker drivers lined up in the front came and started to quarrel with the VDF personnel at which the two VDF personnel started firing from their service 303 rifles injuring a personnel of the Toll Tax.
Heingang Police has registered a case under FIR No 53 (7) 2013. The two VDF personnel who have been terminated from their service are in police custody.
In the wake of the incident, the tankers which were supposed to leave Imphal yesterday did not leave yesterday.
The tanker drivers met with the CAF&PD Minister M Okendro in this regard today at 3pm which was also attended by IOC Depot Manager and president of the All Manipur Petroleum Tankers’ & Drivers Union.