Transporters’ and Drivers’ Council (TDC) president T Ranjit on Thursday appealed to the Kuki communities not to cause harm to the transport drivers along national highways, asserting that they are importing essential commodities not for one particular community but for all the ethnic communities of Manipur.
Ranjit told the media at its head office located at MG Avenue, Imphal that with the ongoing communal clash, many goods trucks have been stranded along national highway and transport drivers have been suffering from many untold miseries.
He said some transport associations are trying to politicize the present issue. Those transport association should bear the consequences if any unwanted incidents falls on the transport drivers, said Ranjit.
TDC has been instructing the transport drivers not to transport their goods trucks along NH-2 after considering the present communal clash, he said. He further appealed to the transport drivers to divert their goods trucks to NH-37 for the safety of the drivers.
He said TDC has been monitoring the situation of national highways for the safety of the transporters with the consent of state government. The state government is also providing security forces while transporting goods trucks carrying essential items along NH-37, he added.
TDC had distributed some relief materials to the stranded transport drivers who are stuck at Senapati and Kohima along NH-2, he added.
He further appealed to the Kuki communities not to harm the transporters while transporting essential commodities as they are transporting essential commodities for the people of the entire state irrespective of caste, creed and communities.
Ranjit also appealed to the state government to provide proper security for the safety of the transporters along national highways.
110 goods trucks reach Imphal
Meanwhile, a total of 110 goods trucks transporting essential commodities into the state have arrived in Imphal on Thursday.
As the National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) is blocked by protesters at Kangpokpi district, the trucks were diverted to Jiribam and reached Imphal along with security forces.
Of the total goods trucks, 104 trucks reached Imphal while six trucks have been deported for Tamenglong district.
It is learnt that 44 trucks are of gas bullet tankers; five are petroleum tankers; 11 are diesel tankers; 11 trucks are BPCL and HPCL, and remaining are for other essential items including vegetables and others.
Miscreants attack buses along NH-37
Meanwhile, two transport buses engaged in carrying Indian Reserved Battalion (IRB) personnel were allegedly attacked by unknown miscreants near Keithelmanbi along the National Highway-37 (Imphal-Jiribam) road on two different occasions.
As per sources, a bus bearing registration number MN09C 0032 carrying IRB personnel from Jiribam to Imphal was attacked by unknown miscreants on Thursday near Keithelmanbi.
It is reported that some unknown miscreants attacked the bus with slingshots and the window panes of the bus was damaged. However, no casualty have been reported during the incident.
Meanwhile, another bus bearing registration number MN02G 3317 was also attacked by miscreants on Tuesday around 10.30 am near the same place along NH-37.
During the attack, the glass panes of door of the bus were damaged. It is reported that the bus was heading for Jiribam from Imphal to pick up IRB personnel.
It is learnt that the IRB personnel were returning to Imphal after the completion of Karnataka election duty.
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