IMPHAL, Jan 8: A rice laden truck meant for a Tamenglong township was gutted “due to mechanical failure of the vehicle” along Imphal-Jiribam highway in Manipur on Saturday night, police sources said.
An unconfirmed report alleged that it was torched by some unknown miscreants. However, police sources quoting truck driver’s version, said it was “due to mechanical failure of the vehicle” and not connected with the blockade or counter blockade. The incident was occurred at New Leijang near Kotlien village, about 35 km west of Imphal when the Tamenglong district headquarters bound 250 rice bags laden truck (MN07C-3475) was moving along the hilly road around 8:30 pm, sources added. The rice bags belonged to one grocery shop at Tamenglong IB Bazaar.
Meanwhile, more than 500 goods trucks including 130 oil tankers were reported to be on their way to Imphal on Sunday along the same route under tight security, reports said. More than 150 goods trucks including 92 oil tankers have crossed New Keithelmanbi area, about 25 km west of Imphal, sources added.
If there was no unwanted incident along the route, most of the goods trucks were expected to reach Imphal on Sunday night itself. The movement of the goods trucks continues along the 222 km Imphal-Jiribam route even though the state is reeling under indefinite economic blockade on Imphal-Jiribam sector of National Highway 37 and Imphal-Mao sector of National Highway 2.
The blockade, which was called by United Naga Council (UNC) in protest against the state government’s move to create Sadar Hills and Jiribam into full fledged districts entered 69th day on Sunday.
