Imphal, Feb 03, 2024, IANS

Imphal, Feb 2 (IANS) Suspected armed attackers hijacked a private tanker meant for supplying potable water to the state police commandos deployed in conflict-torn Moreh, sending a threat to the presence of the force at the border town along Myanmar, the police said on Friday.

The development came a day after radical village volunteers in Tengnoupal district asked the traders not to sell essential items, even water, to state police commandos, who mostly belong to the Meitei community.

A police officer in Imphal said that the armed attackers hijacked the water tanker on Thursday and freed the driver in the night, while the ill-fated vehicle remained traceless till late on Friday night.

On the other hand, the government has made all arrangements to airlift essential commodities for the police commandos in the wake of the Kuki volunteers’ threat, the police said.

Tengnoupal district village volunteers had on Wednesday asked the shopkeepers in Moreh not to sell any items to the police commands from Saturday till they are removed from the area.

The volunteers, in a release, said the steps have been taken to maintain “peace and harmony within our community and ensure the safety of all individuals".

Tengnoupal district police, meanwhile, held a meeting with Assam Rifles officers and leaders of various communities except Meiteis at the complex of the paramilitary forces’ camp in Moreh.

At the meeting, Superintendent of Police (Tengnoupal), Rahul Gupta, appealed to the volunteers to withdraw their diktat issued to the Moreh traders of not selling commodities to the security personnel.

Security advisor of the state government, Kuldeip Singh, had earlier said that militants based in neighbouring Myanmar may be involved in the attacks on the commandos in the border town.

Meanwhile, the Like Minded Group (LMG), a charitable organisation in the state, on Friday donated Rs 50,000 to the commandos as aid to procure essential commodities.