Oil tanker drivers on Saturday launched indefinite strike along the National Highway-2, Imphal to Dimapur road, in Manipur, demanding police action against those who caused damaged to several heavy vehicles along the highway on Friday. They also demanded compensation for the damage done to the oil tankers and heavy vehicles that were transporting LPG cylinders.
As many as 120 oil tankers were stopped from moving further along the National Highway-2 at Lairouching, Kangpokpi district out of which, 75 are oil tankers of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited; 30 are gas bullet tankers and 15 are Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited oil tankers.
During the protest staged by the highway oil tanker drivers in front of Malom Oil Depot, Malom, Imphal West on Saturday, one of the protesters named Pukhrambam John alias Tomba told media that the drivers strongly condemned the attack on the oil tankers without any warning. If the ban supporters cautioned the drivers, then the drivers might have cooperated with them, he added.
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About 59 oil tankers moving to Dimapur from Imphal were reportedly damaged on Friday morning by volunteers of Kangpokpi CSOs at Keithelmanbi, Manipur, John said, adding that several drivers were injured.
Civil bodies of Kangpokpi spearheaded by the KSO Sadar Hills imposed total ban on all commercial trucks, including tankers along the National Highway 2, since 12 noon Friday over a fatal hit-and-run case.
John also said that for every misunderstanding, protesters blame the highway vehicle drivers. He appealed all ban supporters and others to stop blaming the drivers, saying, "Not all drivers are the same but they are doing their duties for the welfare of the people".
Also Read: Hit-and-run case: Kangpokpi CSOs to ban all commercial trucks along National Highway-2
He said the incident occurred due to the incompetence of security forces deployed to protect the highway vehicle drivers. He also said that the incident occurred in front of the security forces where the security forces who were deployed at the spot did not take any precautionary measures or action against the ban supporters (who attack the oil tankers).
He further said amid the drivers being diverted to another route one of the police constables in Senapati assaulted the drivers. The drivers strongly condemned for assaulting the drivers and urged the state government to take necessary action against the said police constable, John said.
He further appealed the state government to provide full authority to the security forces those were deputed along the national highway so that highway drivers could be saved from unwanted incidents.
John said the indefinite strike will be continued till the demands of the drivers are fulfilled.
The hit-and-run accident took place early January 19 when an unidentified truck moving towards Imphal hit a young man at Keithelmanbi military colony. The driver fled the scene after the incident while the young man reportedly died on the spot. His body is lying at the morgue unclaimed till the filing of this report.
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In connection with the incident, civil bodies in Kangpokpi spearheaded by the KSO Sadar Hills served a 24-hour ultimatum for the accused to surrender or the police to find the accused. The ultimatum expired on January 20 midnight.
As the accused failed to surrender as well as the police failed to find the accused within the stipulated time frame, the civil bodies of Kangpokpi under the aegis of KSO Sadar Hills imposed a total bandh along the national highway and put a ban on the movement of all commercial trucks, including tankers from 12 noon of January 21.
