Imphal, December 15 2010: Six loaded trucks allegedly detained by NSCN(IM) were released today unharmed and the police have recovered 31 bags of rice along with 60 cement bags hijacked by them.

Reports said the number of trucks from which the NSCN(IM) cadres snatched rice and cement bags were six.

They dragged down FCI rice bags from four trucks and cement from the other two trucks.

They pulled down 42 bags of rice from truck MN01-7385, 110 bags from MN01A-0363 and 130 bags each from truck MN04A-0633 and MN01-5957 .

They further snatched 85 cement bags from truck MN06-3506 and 85 from MN01-4685.The armed cadres used a Shakitman truck (MN04T-0198) to whisk away the items, the reports said.

The Shaktiman truck after being loaded with the looted items made a U turn in front of Noney Police Station and left the place.

Police personnel there could do nothing even though they apparently knew of the looting of the items, the report said.

Drivers of the ill-fated trucks disclosed that one of the trucks moving ahead of them refused to stop inspite of the orders of the IM cadres instead he stopped in front of the Assam Rifles camp at Noney and lodged a verbal complaint to the commander of the post.

Getting no positive responses, he remained in front of the AR post, as he feared of any untoward incident on the way for defying the diktat of the IM cadres.

He has safely arrived at Imphal today.

The armed cadres then tried to loot rice from another truck parked on the roadside near the Noney bridge because of a mechanical failure.

The act was stopped by police personnel who convinced the armed cadres not to do so.

NSCN(IM) cadres snatched mobile phones of some drivers but later returned the phones to the drivers.

Drivers were also asked to pay 'godown tax' .

Drivers alleged that yesterday when the hijacking incident occurred security personnel escorted only the trucks moving in front leaving the vehicles at the rear on their own.

Down the slopes the security escort moved faster leaving behind the loaded trucks.

The area where the hijacking occurred and the nearby areas around it are prone to such untoward incidents.

Truck drivers have expressed their desire for opening of state security posts at Noney Bazar, Awang Khul and Kambirong so as to conduct intensive patrolling.

Apart from the NSCN(IM) the NSCN(K) also collects money from the truckers in this section of the road, They collect ' 500 from each truck as "tax" payable to them for every three months.

However, they are unable to collect the "tax" if the trucks ply with security escort, drivers added.

In the meantime, police have recovered 31 rice and 60 cement bags allegedly looted by the suspects yesterday.

Meanwhile, a statement released by information secretary of NSCN(IM) Noney area said that they pulled down rice and cement from only five vehicles.

They pulled down the items since the trucks instead of carrying FCI rice sometimes used to ferry cement.

The statement further informed that the pulled down items have been handed over today in the presence of Tamenglong SP, Gonglin Thangmei, CO of 26 Assam Rifles colonel Gaurav Chakraborty and officials of Noney police station.

The statement also appealed to the media in Imphal not to report in excess while filing reports of such incidents.

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