KANGPOKPI, Jun 25 : In yet another incident, an oil tanker was attacked again this morning at the same area of the previous two similar incidents along National Highway-2 in between Kangpokpi DHQs and S Changoubung village.
The first attack on a tanker occured on April 18 at S. Golai near Changoubung village while the second incident occurred, barely 11 later on April 30 about 40 yards away from the first spot at a similar timing.
The attack on the convoy of oil tankers occured at around 8.40 am near Alex Farm, around 1 ½ Km from Kangpokpi PS and less than 1 Km from the proposed SP Kangpokpi office.
The oil tanker bearing (MN01-8817) bore three bullet entry marks on the left door while there is no report of any injury to the tanker occupants.
According to the tanker driver, Y Sarat Singh, the incident happened when he stopped the tanker to let his handyman relief himself. However, he denied hearing the gun shot sound and added that he heard some sound which he assumed that the a tyre of the vehicle had burst.
On checking he however found bullet marks on the left door of the vehicle and immediate drove away from the spot.
He also said that it is his first journey on National Highway 2.
Surprisingly, the driver crossed Kangpokpi police station and reported the matter to the ROP Commando team at Yaikongpao village.
The district police immediately rushed to the spot on receiving information about the incident and launched a massive hunt for the attackers and recovered a few empty cases and one lathod bullet from the spot.
Following the operation, two individuals reportedly extorting money along the highway near the suspected spot of the firing incident were apprehended by the police.
Police identified the duo as Thangneo Singsit ( (42), s/o Lunkholet Singsit of Kangpokpi Ward No.5 and Lalsanglen alias Robert Doungel (20), s/o Tonglen Doungel of Kangpokpi Ward No.17. They were handed over to a police station in Imphal for further interrogation.
Later, IG-Zone III, T Guite and DIG-Zone IV, E Priyokumar along with district police and 38 Assam Rifles assessed the situation till the time of filing this report.
Police cordoned off the areas between Kangpokpi and Changoubung for sometime as a suspected bomb like object was found along the roadside of NH-2. However, with the help of 38 AR sniffer dog, it was found to be a false alarm.
Meanwhile, Kuki Inpi, Kangpokpi and various other CSOs of Kangpokpi including local bodies have condemned the repeated attacks on oil tankers within the jurisdiction of Kangpokpi DHQs and demanded the State Government to book the culprits within 24 hours.
Source: The Sangai Express
My dear KUKI chate (children ) of Kangpokpi these kind of incidents surely put the area in poor light. Show that you are capable of handling the new district by making the are ” where the mind is without … clear streams of running water flows through….”