IMPHAL, May 14: Special contractor, L Pati Singh has clarified that he was threatened and money has been extorted by the KNLF from him. He refuted the clarification made by KNLF in the local dailies, that beating up his laborers arose due to a misunderstanding.
It may be mentioned here that the assault on the PMGSY workers by the KNLF was clarified by the outfit as an unfortunate incident.
Speaking to media persons, L Pati Singh said that the main problem arose from the demand of 30 lacs made by the outfit. It was an amount to be paid to the KNLF to start construction of the road at Chakpikarong, Khengjoi Part-5 under PMGSY at Chandel District. The work site starts from Kemdo village to Khengjoi village which is a stretch of 15 km.
He said that the work was to start from 2013, but unfortunately, KNLF General Secretary Lalmoi started threatening him through phone calls. On December 23 ,2013 the General Secretary texted messages to meeting him but he didn`™t reply and accept the proposal as he was frightened.
On April 20, 2015 he entered the work place with the laborer`™s and equipments because he was sent a show cause notice for delay of the work. But on the way, troops of the 6 Dogra Regiment stopped him and said not to enter the place as it was getting dark.
He said that on May 21, they reached the place , in the intervening night of April 21 and 22 2015, KNLF cadres came to the spot and kidnapped a laborer .The incident was complained to the 6 Dogra Regiment CO.
Later, they were informed that the kidnapped laborer was released the next day at Maokot, which is about 2.5 km away from Shihao Village, he added. He further continued that after that CO gave assurance to him that there will not be any inconveniences in future.
The harassment from KNLF again begun on May 9 last, indentifying himself as Khamkho , a cadre of KNLF started threatening him again and not to continue the work.
He also said that the village Chief of Navin Village, namely Yangthong Matey visited him at his residence to collect the said amount of 30 lacs, but it was not paid.
Afterwards, they beat up the laborers just because of failing to fulfill their monitory demand and also to take revenge of the obstructions created by the security forces to their cadres who acted on his complaint. He maintained that he can produce the evidence to support his claim.