Imphal | August 3 : Even as the demand for Sadar Hill district has been scaled up from a 7-day economic blockade that began July 31 midnight to an indefinite general strike beginning Wednesday, five vehicles were torched by blockade supporters at several places on National Highways 39 and 53.
The first incident occurred at about 4 am at Keithelmanbi on National Highway 39. An I-20 Hyundai car bearing registration no AS 02G-4470, owned by a commandant of 34th CRPF battalion was torched by blockade supporters at Keithelmanbi cemetery as the car approached Imphal from Dimapur unaware of the general strike which was declared overnight.
The second incident took place in front of ADC office at Kangpokpi when a lone loaded freight truck (AS 03 AC/1355) that was coming towards Imphal with Assam Rifles convoy was stopped and torched by blockade supporters.
In the third incident, a Bajaj Pulsar without registration no was set on fire by blockade supporters at about 12:30 pm at Leikot village on National Highway 39. In third incident too a loaded freight truck (NL 08A/2444) that was approaching Imphal with 43 Assam Rifles convoy was stopped and torched by blockade supporters at around 3:20 pm at Kangpokpi bazaar barely 150 meters away from Kangpokpi police station.
A private ambulance and a private Maruti van also came under heavy attacks of blockade supporters at around 9 am today at near Kangpokpi police station. Again, on National Highway 53 along Imphal-Jiribam route, there are reports that at least five persons sustained injuries of which one is said to be very critical.
One empty freight truck headed to Jiribam was also set on fire by blockade supporters while two others met an accident after blockade supporters rained down stones on National Highway 53. It has also been reported that today at about 7:40 pm a team of police commando went to Bijang and Longjang villages and opened fired several rounds before picking on the wife of Bijang chief who was beaten severely. Later, the team reportedly picked up three alleged blockade supporters namely Tongminthang Tuboi, Tangminlun, Momoi from New Keithelmanbi.
In the meanwhile, the dead bodies of two blockade supporters who died yesterday when an oil tanker lost control and swerved before running them down at Kaglatombi were today brought to the office of Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) at Kangpokpi. In the presence of the dead bodies, Sadar Hill Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) president Ngamkhohao Haokip submitted a memorandum to prime minister of India and chief minister of Manipur through ADC of Kangpokpi H Rupachandra.
Speaking to the media, president of SHDDC Ngamkhohao Haokip noted that the incidents that happened today was totally unexpected and said that the state government was solely responsible for such unforeseen eventuality. “Two blockade supporters and an innocent student was killed yesterday all because of the government’s use of mindless force to quell and suppress the demand for Sadar Hill district,” he said.
While condemning a statement of chief minister O Ibobi yesterday at a press conference, Mr Haokip said it was unacceptable that Sadar Hill district should be created along with other such demands in the state. “Sadar Hill issue and the demand for a full fledged district go back 39 years,” he said.
The first incident occurred at about 4 am at Keithelmanbi on National Highway 39. An I-20 Hyundai car bearing registration no AS 02G-4470, owned by a commandant of 34th CRPF battalion was torched by blockade supporters at Keithelmanbi cemetery as the car approached Imphal from Dimapur unaware of the general strike which was declared overnight.
The second incident took place in front of ADC office at Kangpokpi when a lone loaded freight truck (AS 03 AC/1355) that was coming towards Imphal with Assam Rifles convoy was stopped and torched by blockade supporters.
In the third incident, a Bajaj Pulsar without registration no was set on fire by blockade supporters at about 12:30 pm at Leikot village on National Highway 39. In third incident too a loaded freight truck (NL 08A/2444) that was approaching Imphal with 43 Assam Rifles convoy was stopped and torched by blockade supporters at around 3:20 pm at Kangpokpi bazaar barely 150 meters away from Kangpokpi police station.
A private ambulance and a private Maruti van also came under heavy attacks of blockade supporters at around 9 am today at near Kangpokpi police station. Again, on National Highway 53 along Imphal-Jiribam route, there are reports that at least five persons sustained injuries of which one is said to be very critical.
One empty freight truck headed to Jiribam was also set on fire by blockade supporters while two others met an accident after blockade supporters rained down stones on National Highway 53. It has also been reported that today at about 7:40 pm a team of police commando went to Bijang and Longjang villages and opened fired several rounds before picking on the wife of Bijang chief who was beaten severely. Later, the team reportedly picked up three alleged blockade supporters namely Tongminthang Tuboi, Tangminlun, Momoi from New Keithelmanbi.
In the meanwhile, the dead bodies of two blockade supporters who died yesterday when an oil tanker lost control and swerved before running them down at Kaglatombi were today brought to the office of Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) at Kangpokpi. In the presence of the dead bodies, Sadar Hill Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) president Ngamkhohao Haokip submitted a memorandum to prime minister of India and chief minister of Manipur through ADC of Kangpokpi H Rupachandra.
Speaking to the media, president of SHDDC Ngamkhohao Haokip noted that the incidents that happened today was totally unexpected and said that the state government was solely responsible for such unforeseen eventuality. “Two blockade supporters and an innocent student was killed yesterday all because of the government’s use of mindless force to quell and suppress the demand for Sadar Hill district,” he said.
While condemning a statement of chief minister O Ibobi yesterday at a press conference, Mr Haokip said it was unacceptable that Sadar Hill district should be created along with other such demands in the state. “Sadar Hill issue and the demand for a full fledged district go back 39 years,” he said.
SHDDC tenders apology to media community
Imphal, August 3 (NNN): On behalf of Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC), its general secretary Tonghen Kipgen has tendered an apology to the media persons on the unfortunate incident at Kanglatombi where three mediapersons came under the attack of blockade supporters. Mr Kipgen said that the attack on a media team travelling by a car on National Highway 39 today was unfortunate. He added that the incident occurred because the blockade supporters were not aware of the identity of the mediapersons.
“It was difficult for the volunteers to identify the identity of the occupants of the car. However, after they were identified, they were given free access to the highway,” he claims.
While apologizing for the incident on behalf of the volunteers too, the general secretary assured the media community that such incident will not happen in the future again.
Imphal, August 3 (NNN): On behalf of Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC), its general secretary Tonghen Kipgen has tendered an apology to the media persons on the unfortunate incident at Kanglatombi where three mediapersons came under the attack of blockade supporters. Mr Kipgen said that the attack on a media team travelling by a car on National Highway 39 today was unfortunate. He added that the incident occurred because the blockade supporters were not aware of the identity of the mediapersons.
“It was difficult for the volunteers to identify the identity of the occupants of the car. However, after they were identified, they were given free access to the highway,” he claims.
While apologizing for the incident on behalf of the volunteers too, the general secretary assured the media community that such incident will not happen in the future again.
