In a retaliatory act of violence, a mob intercepted and set ablaze a truck bound for Imphal on Wednesday evening. This incident followed the arson attack on a CRPF bus in Kangpokpi Town the day before.
Swift action by Kangpokpi Police, 22 Assam Rifles, and the CRPF successfully rescued a passenger vehicle from the irate crowd.
In response to escalating tensions and increased community patrols along National Highway 2, stringent measures including thorough frisking and vehicle checks have been implemented. These measures aim to prevent vehicles registered under Meitei ownership from passing through the Kuki-Zo-dominated area.
The violent episode on Wednesday evening unfolded when an empty truck bearing Registration No. NL01A E7895, en route to Dimapur, was stopped by a mob. Upon discovering that the truck owner was from the Meitei community, members of the mob seized the vehicle and set it on fire near Alex Farm on NH-2, between Kangpokpi Town and Changoubung, around 11 pm.
Upon being notified, police rushed to the scene with a fire tender. Officers fired several rounds to disperse the mob obstructing their path to the burning truck. The fire tender managed to extinguish the flames before the truck was completely consumed. However, the assailants fled the scene under the cover of darkness.
A case has been registered at Kangpokpi Police Station regarding the incident, and security forces have been intensified in the area.
