Imphal, July 28 (IANS) At least 35 postal bags containing ATM cards, passports, and other important documents and letters were destroyed after a vehicle transporting mail for the Department of Posts was allegedly torched by unidentified attackers in Manipur’s Ukhrul district, officials said on Tuesday.
Ukhrul Sub-Post Office Postmaster Wungreipam Rimai said unidentified miscreants set ablaze the postal vehicle on Monday on the Yaingangpokpi-Litan Road, destroying several postal consignments.
In a video message, Rimai said that of the 35 postal bags destroyed, 30 were meant for Ukhrul, four for Somdal, and one for Kamjong. “The Department of Posts is assessing the extent of the damage and taking necessary steps to restore services and assist the affected customers,” he said.
The postmaster added that the matter has been reported to security and law enforcement agencies, which have been requested to conduct a thorough investigation and take appropriate legal action against those responsible.
The incident occurred on Monday when a mob enforcing a blockade on the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in Ukhrul district intercepted a convoy of trucks and other vehicles near Shangkai Kuki village and allegedly damaged and destroyed several goods being transported from Imphal to the district headquarters.
The National Highway-2 is a crucial road link connecting Mokokchung in Nagaland with Imphal in Manipur.
According to police, an FIR has been registered under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). As per the FIR, the complainant stated that he had joined a convoy escort team on July 27 to transport postal and courier consignments from Yaingangpokpi to the Post Office in Ukhrul.
However, upon reaching Shangkai village, all vehicles in the convoy were stopped and checked by Kuki volunteers. The complainant alleged that some individuals carrying concealed firearms approached him, forcibly boarded the postal vehicle, and compelled him at gunpoint to drive further ahead.
“During this time, some security personnel inquired about our destination. The armed individuals threatened me by pressing a gun against my thigh and instructed me to remain silent. As such, I could not respond. They informed the security personnel that they were only going to offload courier items,” the complainant stated in the FIR.
Meanwhile, the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), one of the apex organisations of the Tangkhul Naga tribe community, alleged in a statement that commercial and private vehicles travelling along NH-2 under security escort were forcibly stopped on Monday and their belongings confiscated at Shangkai Kuki village and Mahadev Hill by Kuki villagers allegedly acting in collusion with militants operating under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement.
The organisation further alleged that these activities were carried out in the presence of security personnel deployed on Reconnaissance and Observation Post (ROP) duty.
According to the TNL, more than 40 commercial and private vehicles were intercepted at the two locations by Kuki groups allegedly enforcing an illegal “Counter Economic Blockade” called by the self-styled Kuki CSO Working Committee, Ukhrul, with effect from the midnight of July 26.
“The belongings of the passengers, including valuable documents, cash, clothes, and groceries, were forcibly looted and burnt, while the looters took away several other items,” the TNL statement alleged.
The incident has further heightened tensions in the hill district, with the destruction of postal consignments, including passports and ATM cards, disrupting essential public services and affecting a large number of residents awaiting delivery of important documents and communications.
–IANS
sc/dan
