Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Kohima, June 27:
A recent criminal incident involving vehicle-theft has proven the active presence of a militant group from Manipur hills in Nagaland, the theft of two excavator/back-hoes or JCBs (belonging to L&T company) in the heart of Kohima.
The incident has highlighted the operations of the Manipur hill based outfit operating right at the Nagaland-Assam border gate (New Field Gate).
The incident occurred on Sunday morning at around 6 to 7 when some miscreants, numbering around four, reportedly claiming to be from a militant group from the Manipur hills, approached the drivers of the brand-new excavators, took the keys and locked the drivers at Capital Hotel in Kohima after the excavators were stopped at IOC at Mohonkhola in Kohima.
According to sources, the two vehicles were bound for Imphal where they were to be put on sale by the dealers, Automobile Engineering Works.
The two excavators were reportedly being brought from Indore and each cost a hefty Rs.18.48 lakh.
According to the dealers, the two excavators were stopped by the militant activists at the New Field Check Gate at the Nagaland-Assam border Sunday morning at around 7 a.m.during which the militants , who initially demanded Rs.10,000 (5 Rs.5,000 apiece) each for the two vehicles, told the dealers over mobile telephone that the issue would be settled after crossing Kohima.
However, after reaching Kohima, four militants, reportedly stopped the two vehicles at IOC in Kohima, seized the keys from the drivers and took them to Capital Hotel, located in the heart of the town, where they put up the drivers for the night.
After learning that the two vehicles were missing the next morning, the dealers, with the help of associates based in Kohima, called up police and lodged a complaint at the South Police Station after which they alerted police, paramilitary forces and both factions of the NSCN (who were all put on full alert) and a formal FIR was lodged under the South PS the next day (Monday).
Meanwhile, it was learnt that the same group of underground had, earlier on June 4, seized two excavators belonging to the same company and released them only after negotiations with the dealers.
Interestingly, the vehicles are insured.
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