Tourist bus torched
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 07: Unidentified miscreants intercepted and set on fire a tourist bus coming from Guwahati near Laipham Khunou Mamang Leikai Soibam Lampak under Heingang Police Station at around 9.45 am today.

The owner of the ill-fated tourist bus (Manipur Golden, MN01/1067) is identified as Kaluwan, a Punjabi staying at MG Avenue, Imphal and the drivers are Yumnam Inao (33) and Yumnam Madhumangol (31) of Lamlai.

According to Yumnam Inao, the bus set out from Guwahati carrying passengers at around 3.30 pm yesterday.

The charred remains of the tourist bus which was torched by some miscreants near Laipham Khunou

After stopping for sometime at Mao, the bus arrived at Senapati at around 8.15 am today.

While stationing at Senapati Bazar for sometime, five unidentified youths climbed up the bus and insisted on driving it fast from there.

As the bus reached Khonghampat area, three persons in a white Maruti car who were already there waiting stopped the bus.

The five unidentified youths who boarded the bus from Senapati Bazar got down and had some conversation with the three persons.

After that, the five unidentified youths climbed up the bus again and asked to be driven till Sangakpham.

At Sangakpham, all the passengers from Guwahati were forced to get down and the bus was made to drive till Chingmeirong.

But as there is a check post on the way, the unidentified persons again asked the driver to take the bus toward Laipham Khunou Mamang Leikai Soibam Lampak.

There the drivers were made to get down and around four or five litres of petrol brought in the white Maruti car were poured on the seats and other parts of the bus before setting it on fire.

After setting the bus on fire, the unidentified persons left all together in the Maruti car toward the east, Inao recalled.

On hearing the news, people of the area came out to put out the fire.

Only after the fire has been doused, the fire brigade and the personnel of the Heingang Police Station arrived at the spot.

Police have registered a case in connection with the incident.

The frontal window shields, the passenger seats and some portion of the engine of the tourist bus have been damaged beyond redemption in the fire.

The reason for targeting the tourist bus and who are behind it has not been able to ascertain .