Manipur militants fire upon trucks convoy, kill one man

Imphal: One person was killed and three others were injured in a militant ambush of a convoy of trucks and oil tankers moving long National Highway 37 towards Imphal capital city in Manipur on Thursday, officials said.

The unidentified person died on the spot. The injured were given initial treatment at a nearby hospital. As their condition became serious, they were later shifted to Imphal. 

"Over 500 trucks and oil tankers were coming from Jiribam towards Imphal escorted by central paramilitary personnel. The gunmen opened fire at the trucks and other vehicles at Lukhambi," a state police official said. 

Following this attack, all the vehicles were stranded on the highway as the drivers refused to ply without adequate security coverage. 

Once some additional personnel arrived, the drivers moved on their vehicles towards Imphal. 

The central leaders and Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju are blaming the Manipur government for the ongoing economic blockade of the state imposed by the United Naga Council (UNC).

However, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh told IANS he had requested the central government to arrange a tripartite talks with the Naga organisations to resolve the crisis. 

Both the Manipur government and the United Naga Council are imposing preconditions, and as a result the negotiations have not yet taken place.