IMPHAL, Nov 30 : Most of the loaded trucks which were stranded near Noney due to fierce attacks launched by economic blockade supporters were escorted by additional security forces and they reached Imphal this morning. Notably, around 400 loaded trucks including oil tankers and LPG bullet tankers were heading toward Imphal along Imphal-Jiribam highway with security forces when they were attacked by blockade supporters near Noney yesterday. While some of the trucks were able to breach the blockade and proceed ahead, others were held back.
Blockade supporters pulled down dal, rice and other eatables from trucks and they scattered those items in the middle of the road. Nonetheless, some local women collected each and every grain of rice and dal later. Many of the loaded trucks were rendered immobile as they were attacked by blockade supporters who wielded wooden clubs, canes and iron rods.
The immobile trucks were pulled up to the Noney post of Assam Rifles using cranks provided by the All Manipur Petroleum Products Transporters Association.
The trucks were repaired after spare tyres and fuel were brought there by a team of the Transporters and Drivers Council. Other trucks which were still operational resumed their journey to Imphal by around 12.30 am today. Security forces which escorted the vehicles fired several rounds of bullets in the air to clear the highway up to Imphal.
According to information received from the IOC’s Imphal Divisional Retail Sales Office, 53 oil tankers reached Imphal this morning. They included 10 petrol tankers, 18 diesel tankers, two SK Oil tankers, two tankers loaded with ATF and 16 LPG bullet tankers. Meanwhile, a potato-laden truck was set ablaze by blockade supporters at a place seven Kms past Tadubi (from the direction of Dimapur) along Imphal-Dimapur at around 2 pm today.
However, army personnel rose to the occasion and managed to control the fire before the arrival of fire tenders. Even though it was not clear how and from where the truck laden with potatoes came, a team of army personnel escorted convoy of 16 trucks at around 1.30 pm along Imphal-Dimapur highway after one army commander signed an undertaking with Mao police. It was suspected that the truck set ablaze seven Kms away from Tadubi was one of the 16 trucks brought by army. It was also reported that there were heated altercations between the army personnel and blockade supporters who set ablaze one of the trucks brought by the former.
Source: The Sangai Express
