Imphal, Jul 04: Two oil tanker drivers have been arrested by the police for trying to extort a sum of Rs 2 lakhs from the Senior Supervisor of the IOC Depot at Chingmeirong while the All Manipur Petroleum Tankers Drivers' Union have refused to take the wheels to demand the release of their colleagues who they contend are innocent.

Subsequently almost all the petrol pumps in Imphal remained closed today as the drivers refused to lift fuel from the depot and deposit the same to the oil pumps.

Talking to The Sangai Express a well placed source said that the two tanker drivers were taken into custody after they tried to extort a sum of Rs 2 lakhs from the Senior Supervisor of the Oil Depot by posing as militant cadres.

The two arrested drivers are identified as Yurembam Iboton (45) of Silchar Baga bazar and presently staying at New Checkon and Lairenjam Kulamani (30) of Bigyapur, Golaghat and presently staying at Sangakpham.

Imphal East police have registered a case against them under IPC Section 384/400.According to a police source, the two called up the Senior Supervisor of the IOC depot on June 25 and demanded a sum of Rs 2 lakhs.

The mobile phone used to call up the officer was 9862274994 and belongs to Kulamani.

The Senior Supervisor was threatened to cough up the money or face death.

Thereafter the Senior Supervisor took leave for three days but when he returned to office on June 28 he received the same threatening call again, said the source and added that this prompted the officer to inform the matter to the 130 Bn CRPF which is responsible for providing security to the oil depot.

The matter was then reported to Imphal East police and the two accused drivers were picked up from Checkon yesterday, said the source.

To lay the trap, police phoned the mobile number which the drivers had used to contact the Senior Supervisor, and negotiated to bring the demanded amount down to Rs 40,000.Thereafter it was agreed that the money would be handed over at Checkon.

During interrogation the two disclosed that the tanker they drive is owned by an individual from Heingang since they have not been paid for the last two/three months, they hit upon the idea of trying to extort money from the Senior Supervisor.

Meanwhile the All Manipur Petroleum Tankers' Driver Union in a statement said that to protest the arrest of two of their colleagues they have launched an indefinite agitation not to take the wheels of the oil tankers from today.

The drivers said that the two were arrested by CRPF men without issuing any arrest memo and accused the Senior Supervisor of giving wrong information to the police.

Levelling a series of charges against the Senior Supervisor, the statement said that ever since he became the Manager-incharge, all water and toilet facilities have not been extended to the drivers.

The earlier practice of depositing the fuel turn wise has also bee stopped, alleged the drivers and added that the register of lifting and depositing fuel has also been doctored.

The drivers made it clear that until and unless the Senior Supervisor is pulled up the agitation would continue and added that the same has also been intimated to the State Government and the Deputy Manager at Guwahati.

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