Imphal, March 19: With closure of brick fields located in Thoubal District one after another following monetary demand of UGs and threat on the owners and incidents of bomb attack and firing at the brick fields, angry workers today came out in the open to revolt and stage a protest demonstration.

The Wakat Meepham staged under the aegis of Heirok, Wangjing, Khongjom Brick Farms Workers Union near the Wangjing Kodompokpi ground was participated jointly by the brick field workers and their owners.

The placards with slogans like 'Don't open fire in brick fields', 'Don't create disturbance in workplace', 'Enough of the groups purported working for the welfare of the people', 'Stop extortion', etc were seen used during the demonstration.

Talking to mediapersons in connection with the protest demonstration, convenor of the Workers' Union Ng Surjit informed that out of around 11 brick fields located in area there are brick fields which are mechanised as well as those operating only seasonally.

More than 1000 people are being employed in these brick fields.

However, as a result of the threat and extortion demands from various UG groups, the owners have started closing down their brickfields, thereby causing difficult situation to the workers and compelling them to come out in protest.

A brick field owner who wished to remain anonymous, informed that the brick fields have been served with extortion demands from all the UG groups.

However, as the amount demanded is 'huge', the brick field owners are hapless and have started closing down.

One UG group to whom he had given whatever amount of money he could arranged threatened him by saying to keep the money for performing his shrada, the aggrieved owner disclosed.

It has been one month since the UG groups have been demanding Rs 5 lakhs from each of the brickfields in the area, he added.