IMPHAL, Aug 2 (NNN): Seven cars which were being transported from West Bengal have been allegedly hijacked by NSCN-IM from seven people on the way at Lalmati which is between Dimapur and Kohima.
The seven individuals—five from Imphal and two from Senapati– had bought the seven cars from West Bengal and left that state on May 12 for Imphal when some persons identified themselves to be NSCN-IM militants first intercepted them on their way at Dimapur on May 15 at around 8 a.m., Kh Open, whose car was among the seven cars allegedly hijacked by the rebel NSCN-IM, told reporters at the Manipur Press Club here on Thursday.
The NSCN-M had demanded three vehicles from them but they refused it and instead gave Rs 35,000 to them after having negotiation.
Then they left Dimapur the same day. The seven vehicles include two A Star, three Alto and two Maruti 800 cars.
Kh Open, 28, is a resident of Kwakeithel Konjeng Leikai Heino Khongnembi in Imphal West.
He alleged that an unspecified number of persons travelling in a black Alto car which had no number plate again pursued them from behind and halted them as they reached Lalmati, Nagaland in the afternoon of May 15 last. Thereafter, the unidentified persons forcibly carried them to an unknown place along with the vehicles. Later, the hijackers also identified themselves to be NSCN-IM militants.
At about 8:30 .pm. the same day, the NSCN-IM militants later dropped them near the Electricity Department office located close to Naga Hospital, Kohima, telling them the building was a hotel. But, they did not stay there and then reached Senapati by bus along National Highway-2 around 2:30 a.m. the next day.
Surprisingly, one of the hijacked cars was found using by an individual at Senapapti bazaar after over one month when the hijacking incident happened, Open said, adding that the vehicle owner had claimed that he was the owner of the car. After one week, the same car was reportedly seized by NSCN-IM Senapapti town commander and brought back the same car to Dimapur, Open claimed.
The reason for keeping the matter concealed for over two months has been that the victims were hoping that the hijackers would return the cars, acording to Kh Open.