Imphal: The Akhil Bhartiya Transport Association Saturday strongly condemned the “distressing incident” that occurred on 2nd February last month between Awang Sekmai and Maharavi, in Imphal West district where an Imphal bound good laden truck was forcefully stopped at gunpoint by unknown miscreants.
Such selective targeting of transport vehicles will not just tarnish the image and reputation of Northeast in general and Manipur in particular but if such things don’t stop, then the days are not far off when transporters boycott coming to Manipur. If such things happen, it will be catastrophic, the Delhi-based Association said in a statement.
The Association also highlighted that during that particular incident, the miscreants snatched the keys from the driver and poured one kg of white salt inside the diesel tank.
It was just not a case of trying to damage the vehicle but the actual motive could have been to keep the vehicle in a halt state in a deserted area, to complete a brazen robber, it added.
It further said that such heinous acts have no place in a democratically governed state. This is not an isolated incident; such incidents are unfortunately becoming a routine on the highways between Dimapur to Imphal, the release signed by Hardesh Kumar, Incharge (NE) for the Association said.
The Association also appealed to the government of Manipur to immediately intervene in the incident and initiate swift action against the culprits, even though they had the least faith in the government’s response.
