Miscreants attack petroleum tankers at Kangmai, drivers stop plying tankers Manipur till normalcy returns

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 16, 2024

Armed miscreants opened fire at LPG and petroleum tankers at Kangmai, 45 km off Jiribam on Tuesday forcing the North East Petroleum Mazdoor Union (NEPMU) to stop plying tankers to Manipur from Tuesday itself.

“We will not transport LPG cylinders or any petroleum products to Manipur from today due to security reasons till restoration of normalcy in Manipur. We also urge the Indian Oil authority not to force our drivers to transport to Manipur,” NEPMU general secretary Ramen Das said here on Tuesday.

“If there is an emergency, the security forces can carry such consignment at their risk,” Das also said.

The incident took place at around 10.30 am of Tuesday between Kaimai Kuki and Tollen Kuki villages along NH 37 under the Tousem Sub-Division of Tamenglong district, where five tankers were damaged including one LPG and four oil Tankers.

The miscreants allegedly ambushed the tankers and opened fire injuring a driver and a helper. 

As an impact of the incident, 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 tyres 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.

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 travelling 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.

Following this incident, NEPMU announced that they would not ply tankers along the highway from Tuesday.

More than 45 to 50 tankers carrying LPG cylinders and petroleum products run from the IOCL depot in Silchar to Imphal via Jiribam regularly.

Meanwhile, the Joint Tribes Students’ Association (JTSA), All Inpui Students’ Union, Zeme Students’ Organisation, Manipur: Rongmei Naga Students’ Organization, Manipur: Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi, Manipur Strongly condemned the incident and demanded the administration to take action against the armed miscreants.

“In such an excruciating juncture, the Nagas are playing pivotal roles in accommodating and bringing tranquillity and peace among different communities in the state. Irrespective of different backgrounds and community/tribe, the JTSA strongly believes in the principle of unity in diversity and peaceful coexistence of people leaving aside its individual(s) interest and differences,” the statement said. 

The JTSA asserted that any untoward incident that happens in the future will not be tolerated and this statement is constrained to issue as a stern final warning against the defaulters. “Such an act of cowardly indulgence is a serious crime against humanity and an act of terrorism that even crosses the line beyond communalism especially during this hard time at this present scenario,” they said.

“Incidents like this not only tarnish the image of the particular community and state but also undermine the harmonious atmosphere we strive to maintain. We demand that immediate action be taken against those responsible miscreants for their heinous acts and we expect a thorough investigation to ensure that justice is administered by the laws of the State. It is essential that such incidents are not tolerated and the miscreants are held accountable for their actions,” they added.