An armed group hijacked three trucks and three new gypsy jeeps from the National Highway 2 in Kangpokpi district of Manipur on Saturday.
Police commandos rescued the three truck drivers and recovered all the vehicles later.
Police sources said some persons armed with sophisticated weapons stopped the three trucks carrying new jeeps at Koubru Lekha in Kangpokpi. The vehicles, coming from Dimapur in Nagaland, were bound for Imphal. The three drivers and the six vehicles were whisked away and kept hidden amid mountain bushes.
On receipt of information, police commando officer in-charge Subedar Vivekananda rushed to the spot. Since mountain areas were vast and the hijackers well armed, additional forces were summoned. The combined team started a combing operation. On seeing the approaching police commandos, the robbers fled leaving behind the vehicles. The drivers told the police that the gang asked them to pay money if they wanted to proceed towards Imphal.
Extortion and brutal treatment of drivers have been a common occurrence on this key highway for decades. A highway protection force is yet to be set up despite the fact that NH 2 is Manipur’s lifeline.
