to arrest and hand them over to their Nagaland counterparts. In sharp contrast there is no leverage from Manipur and such reports of carjackings along highway 2 are mere statistics since the vehicles stolen or simply hijacked were never recovered.

What is more daunting is that every year drivers and cleaners from Manipur are killed along highways 2 and 37. The killers have never been accounted for. All that the drivers who have nobody to turn to do is pay floral tributes to these departed souls on Drivers’ day. It is therefore nothing surprising that more and more drivers from Manipur are killed and that many others are kidnapped under the very nose of the armed CRPF personnel escorting the trucks and buses.

What is more daunting is that every year drivers and cleaners from Manipur are killed along highways 2 and 37. The killers have never been accounted for.

On the 31st of January, 2013 one driver and his cleaner were murdered near a village along highway 2 in Nagaland. On the 7th of February, Gorbadhon Ningombam from Wangjing in Thoubal district was bringing sugar bags for the FCS godown. Because of some technical snags he was forced to halt the truck at Kohima near the police headquarters. He had the false impression that he was out of harm’s way. But late in the night some persons smashed his head and murdered him. The sugar bags were sold off to a nearby shop. Though there were protests from drivers and the Government the murderers were never accounted for. However the sugar bags were recovered from the shop.

On the 17th of April, 2013 two trucks were bringing rice and cement from Assam to Imphal. As these trucks developed engine trouble they halted at Tamenglong district along highway 37. Some armed militants turned up while they were preparing a meal and torched both the trucks along with the goods. As a parting shot, one gunman opened up a fusillade of fire killing driver Babu Sorokhaibam on the spot.

On the 21st of April a cavacade of 116 trucks and oil tankers were coming from Assam to Imphal via highway 2. Some armed militants jumped at the running board of a truck driven by Surjit Sougrakpam. Despite the presence of the CRPF personnel who were escorting the vehicles, the driver was frog marched openly. There is no explanation from the CRPF and certainly the personnel escorting the cavalcade were never pulled up. The driver was released after some days with the instruction that he should tell the transporters to pay a tax of `10,000 each to the Naga National Council (Federation) failing which the trucks would be torched.

On the 23rd of April one truck MN 01 7228 which was coming from Guwahati to Imphal was intercepted at Khongnem in Senapati district. The unidentified persons leisurely doused it with petrol and torched everything. The arsonists were never accounted for.

On the 11th of May, one truck bringing consumer items from Guwahati to Imphal was intercepted at Saprameina in Senapati district. The driver Kumud Ali from Sonapur in Assam was dragged out and taken to the river bank. He was murdered in the most excruciating manner as his throat was slit. His body was found by some women who had gone to the river to fetch water. No militant group has claimed responsibility, the police have not solved the case so far and the truck and goods are still missing.

There have been impotent protests from all organisations of drivers. The Governments of Manipur and Nagaland did not take notice of the worsening situation and growing demand for justice. The Transporters and Drivers Council has issued an advisory to the drivers urging them to ply along the two highways only when there are armed escorts. They should refrain from plying after nightfall even if they are escorted by armed personnel. The kidnapping of drivers to send the message of extortions to the owners is increasing. Over ten drivers had been kidnapped along highway 2 alone.

Whenever drivers are kidnapped or shot dead there are strikes by the drivers. But this has amounted to axing one’s legs since it is the people of Manipur who suffer a lot since this immediately translates into a dearth of daily commodities and an upsurge in the prices of these commodities. It can be noted here that apart from this, petrol is sold at Rs 150 a litre during such agitations. To add to this, some tribal organisations have been imposing blockades against Manipur on many flimsy pretexts. Zeliangrong Students’ Union, Zeliangrong Youth Front and All Manipur Zeliangrong Students’ Union had imposed an indefinite blockade against Manipur from the 2nd of April demanding the release of Alice Kamei who was conscripted in an underground organisation. However, the outfit had clarified that she and another girl had joined it of their own volition. At an average there are blockades for 200 days in a year against Manipur.

In the backdrop of the smouldering anger of the people, Zeliangrong Union, the apex body said that the three organisations had never consulted it before launching the blockade. Besides this, one transporter had imposed a counter blockade. The sheepish organisations called off the blockade at midnight on the 3rd of May 3 but the drivers of Manipur are not out of wood as yet.

Kavita Laithangbam