Imphal, May 18 (). The Army and the Assam Rifles are providing security to cargo trucks going to Manipur to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential commodities to the violence-hit state. Defense sources gave this information on Thursday.
Defense spokesperson says that apart from this, the movement of vehicles is also being monitored by drones. The spokesperson said that since May 15, around 130 vehicles carrying essential commodities, food grains, medicines and other important items have entered Manipur through various highways.
It further said that during the ethnic violence in Manipur, the supply of essential commodities to the non-tribal Meitei community-dominated Imphal Valley was stopped. The road was blocked due to the violence, due to which there was fear among the transporters.
As a result, the supply of essential commodities in the state was dwindling and reaching critical levels, said the Defense PRO. It further said that therefore the Army and the Assam Rifles stepped in to ensure the safety of vehicles carrying such goods from Imphal Valley and other parts of Manipur.
On Monday, a convoy of 28 vehicles including trucks, fuel tankers carrying rice, sugar, pulses and fuel left from Noney district for Imphal under the protection of CRPF and Manipur Police. On Tuesday and Wednesday, 100 more vehicles arrived carrying essential commodities.
Assam Rifles provided security in the area to ensure safe passage of the convoy. Due to which the convoy had reached safely in the Imphal valley by afternoon.
Defense sources said the security forces are determined to restore normalcy and resumption of vehicular movement on the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH37) is another step in this direction.
73 people lost their lives and 250 others were injured in the caste violence in Manipur since May 3. While 1,800 houses were destroyed and a large number of government and private properties were also damaged.
FZ/ANM
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