IT News
Imphal, April 16:
A group of armed militants clad in combat fatigue initiated a brazen attack on trucks traversing the crucial National Highway 37, resulting in chaos and danger today morning, according to officials.
Suspected to be Kuki militants, the armed assailants intercepted petrol and LPG tankers traveling along NH-37, strategically positioning themselves between Tolen Kuki village and Kaimai in the Tousem subdivision of Manipur’s Tamenglong district. At approximately 10:30 am, they unleashed gunfire upon an LPG tanker and two oil tankers, causing substantial leakage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), petrol, and diesel onto the roadside drains.
During their assault, the armed group targeted the vehicles with a dual approach, puncturing their tires in the initial strike and inflicting a bullet wound on a driver’s right leg.
Upon receiving reports of the incident, a swift response team comprising Manipur police and central security forces promptly arrived at the scene. Their immediate action included the evacuation of the injured driver to a nearby medical facility. However, efforts to salvage the petroleum products proved unsuccessful.
Thankfully, despite the severity of the attack, no reports emerged of vehicles or inflammable goods succumbing to flames, averting a potentially catastrophic outcome.
According to sources, the armed perpetrators capitalized on the absence of security escorts along NH-37, exploiting the vulnerability of vehicles traveling without protection.
The withdrawal of adequate security escorts for vehicles on this route since April 9, attributed to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections slated for April 19 and April 26 in Manipur, has raised concerns regarding the safety of transportation routes.
Authorities have taken cognizance of the incident, with police registering a case to investigate the matter further, as confirmed by officials.
