Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, June 20
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]emanding release of abducted bus driver Thokchom Ingobi, Khongjom Circle Meira Paibi Lup (women organisation) staged sit-in protest at North AOC in Imphal today.
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the protest, secretary of the organisation M Nirmala appealed to the kidnappers to release the driver considering the hardship faced by the poor victim’s family. M Nirmala also warned of resorting to state wide agitation if the driver is not released immediately. The protestors also closed all the ticket counters in North AOC during the sit-in protest today.
Meanwhile, the inter-state buses continued to agitate for the second day today in protest against the abduction of Thokchom Ingobi.Inter-state buses originating from Imphal have halted their services since June 19 morning following the lapsing of deadline given by All Manipur Night Super Drivers’ Welfare Association to release the abducted driver from Assam.
A few days ago, the All Manipur Night Super Drivers Welfare Association had taken a decision to cease their daily services from the morning of June 19 if abducted driver Thokchom Ingobi was not released by 5 pm of June 18.
According to sources, other transporters’ bodies of Manipur may also join the agitation soon.
Thokchom Ingobi was kidnapped in Assam reportedly by Manipur based militant outfit KCP-MC (Lamyanba Khuman) group.
Thokchom Ingobi, 35 years, son of Nimai of Khongjom Mamang Leikai, Thoubal district of Manipur was kidnapped from Jakhalabanda in Assam on June 13 late night. He was driving a luxury bus (MN 01-1785).
According to Laishram Irabot, the spokesperson of the drivers welfare body, there were two drivers and two handymen in the bus when they were heading for Imphal from Guwahati with passengers. They stopped at Jakhalabanda as usual for dinner. One driver and two handymen had already entered a hotel called Murli Hotel while Thokchom Ingobi was to join them minutes later. Several minutes had passed but Thokchom Ingobi did not enter the hotel. The colleagues of Thokchom Ingobi phoned him but the driver’s phone was swithed off, narrated Laishram Irabot to the media persons.
According to Irabot, when the bus reached Imphal in the morning they found many people swarming around the counter of the bus. It happened that there came a telephone call reportedly from the KCP-MC(Lamyanba Khuman) group telling that the outfit had abducted Thokchom Ingobi as the transporters had failed to pay money to the outfit.
