Trucks were either burnt down or they skidded off the road along the NH-39 in Manipur on the second day of Sardar Hill District Demand Committee (SHDDC) sponsored 7-day economic blockade on Tuesday, August 2, as seen in the pictures. (NNN Photo)
Imphal | August 2 : Three “blockade supporters” were rammed over on Tuesday by an oil tanker at Kanglotambi on the second day of the week long economic blockade imposed by Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) on the two National Highways of Manipur demanding for the declaration of Sadar Hills sub-division into a full fledged district. In the meanwhile, the demand committee has scaled up it protest in the wake of widespread indifference to the blockade by imposing indefinite general strike in Sadar Hills from midnight Tuesday.
An oil tanker today moved down three women “blockade supporters” in front of Kanglatombi Children Home at Kanglatombi. The driver and his handyman also sustained injuries after the truck swerved and hit a tree. The truck bore a registration no NL 07 A/4211. While two of the deceased have been identified as Yaireithai Tangkhul (21), a student and Krishna Maya (65), the third woman who succumbed to her injury at the hospital has not yet been identified.
Two other loaded freight trucks lost control and hit a nearby house and its fencing some 200 meters away from where an oil tanker moved down three women blockade supporters. A driver and his handyman were reportedly injured in the incident.
In other blockade related incident today, at about 1:30 pm, when over 100 loaded freight trucks which were approaching Imphal reached Kangpokpi with security escort from CRPF, blockade supporters began pelting stones, said a local source.
One loaded truck bearing registration no. NL 03T/1189 was also burnt down at Charhajar around 2 pm.
At Kangpokpi at about 3 pm, a loaded freight truck swerved and rammed into a waiting Bolero before turning turtle in the wayside. The driver of the truck and an occupant of the Bolero sustained injuries and were rushed to a local hospital.
SHDDC has called an indefinite general strike from midnight today in Sadar Hills, said the general secretary of SHDDC Tonghen Kipgen at a press meet at Motbung today, and added that except the media no other services will be exempted from the purview of the general strike.
Mr Kipgen also confirmed that the three deceased were “blockade supporters”. “We have sacrificed three more selfless individuals who have contributed immensely in the fight to gain Sadar Hill district. We are willing to sacrifice more blood and sweat for the cause,” he said and added that this shows the sentiments and spirits of the people of Sadar Hills.
With the death of three women today, the death toll since the demand for Sadar Hill district began has gone up to five. “Chief Minister Ibobi Singh has drained precious blood of the citizens of Manipur with his lack of interest in the demand,” the general secretary said.
“If Ibobi thirsts for more blood, we are willing to sacrifice and bleed. We are fearless as far as the demand for Sadar Hill district is concerned,” he said and added that the chief minister follows an anti-tribal policy in developing Imphal city alone while the rest of the district reels in darkness and underdevelopment.
He asked of the chief minister how many more times and lives will it take for him to declare Sadar Hill district.
The SHDDC has again appealed to the transporters not to challenge the sentiments of the people of Sadar Hills by being indifferent to the blockade call and said that if such apathy continues, the youths of Sadar Hills will rise up to the occasion. He also said that if any untoward incidents occur in the future, the government will take complete responsibility.
In the meanwhile, barricades were erected and blockade imposed by women folks at four places on National Highway 53. However, no major blockade related incident has been reported.
An oil tanker today moved down three women “blockade supporters” in front of Kanglatombi Children Home at Kanglatombi. The driver and his handyman also sustained injuries after the truck swerved and hit a tree. The truck bore a registration no NL 07 A/4211. While two of the deceased have been identified as Yaireithai Tangkhul (21), a student and Krishna Maya (65), the third woman who succumbed to her injury at the hospital has not yet been identified.
Two other loaded freight trucks lost control and hit a nearby house and its fencing some 200 meters away from where an oil tanker moved down three women blockade supporters. A driver and his handyman were reportedly injured in the incident.
In other blockade related incident today, at about 1:30 pm, when over 100 loaded freight trucks which were approaching Imphal reached Kangpokpi with security escort from CRPF, blockade supporters began pelting stones, said a local source.
One loaded truck bearing registration no. NL 03T/1189 was also burnt down at Charhajar around 2 pm.
At Kangpokpi at about 3 pm, a loaded freight truck swerved and rammed into a waiting Bolero before turning turtle in the wayside. The driver of the truck and an occupant of the Bolero sustained injuries and were rushed to a local hospital.
SHDDC has called an indefinite general strike from midnight today in Sadar Hills, said the general secretary of SHDDC Tonghen Kipgen at a press meet at Motbung today, and added that except the media no other services will be exempted from the purview of the general strike.
Mr Kipgen also confirmed that the three deceased were “blockade supporters”. “We have sacrificed three more selfless individuals who have contributed immensely in the fight to gain Sadar Hill district. We are willing to sacrifice more blood and sweat for the cause,” he said and added that this shows the sentiments and spirits of the people of Sadar Hills.
With the death of three women today, the death toll since the demand for Sadar Hill district began has gone up to five. “Chief Minister Ibobi Singh has drained precious blood of the citizens of Manipur with his lack of interest in the demand,” the general secretary said.
“If Ibobi thirsts for more blood, we are willing to sacrifice and bleed. We are fearless as far as the demand for Sadar Hill district is concerned,” he said and added that the chief minister follows an anti-tribal policy in developing Imphal city alone while the rest of the district reels in darkness and underdevelopment.
He asked of the chief minister how many more times and lives will it take for him to declare Sadar Hill district.
The SHDDC has again appealed to the transporters not to challenge the sentiments of the people of Sadar Hills by being indifferent to the blockade call and said that if such apathy continues, the youths of Sadar Hills will rise up to the occasion. He also said that if any untoward incidents occur in the future, the government will take complete responsibility.
In the meanwhile, barricades were erected and blockade imposed by women folks at four places on National Highway 53. However, no major blockade related incident has been reported.
