Imphal, May 22 2010: Windshields of at least three taxi service vehicles coming from Jiribam were smashed by suspected militants on Friday night at Noney on the stretch of the NH-53 .

The three tax service vehicles, two wingers (AS-11-KC-1217 and MN-01W-4815) and a Tata Sumo (MN-01R-4431) were coming with passengers from Jiribam yesterday morning and crossed Noney without security escorts at about 9 pm.

W Bijoy, one of the drivers of the ill-fated vehicles said that they had proceeded from Jiribam when the team led state consumer affairs, food and public distribution minister Y Erabot informed them of free from all sort of apprehension while travelling the stretch as expected by the people.

When they reached Noney Bazar around eight armed unknown persons in a white Maruti Gypsy blocked the road and asked if any of them among the passengers included residents of Jiribam.

Even though the drivers told them that all passengers were from Imphal, the miscreants threatened to set on fire the vehicles and smashed the headlights of the vehicles using stone and sticks.

When the smashing started the drivers ran into the police station.

But police failed to initiate action against the miscreants saying that they have no arm in their possessions and asked them to rush to the Army camp which is located after going some distance from the police station, Bijoy added expressing discontented over the attitudes of the police personnel.

A woman passenger in one of the vehicle said that while smashing the windshields of the vehicles, they (suspected supporters) ordered them not to step out of respective vehicles they were boarding.

Even after broken down the windshield with stones, they warned the vehicles not to move further.

The incident of smashing of vehicles occurred on the night of the same day on which a team of Congress leaders comprising MPCC chief Gaikhangam, tribal development minister DD Daisii and IFCD minister, N Biren held a meeting with the residents of Noney for peace.

Congress president Gaikhangam, while speaking to the people, mention may made here, had said that the indefinite economic blockade on the national highways called by ANSAM (All Naga Students' Association (ANSAM) is an uncalled one and asked the people to cooperate with the government efforts for peace and tranquility in the area.