The indefinite economic blockade in Manipur, observed by three truck drivers’ bodies of Senapati district, has been called off.
The organisations which called for the economic blockade were Senapati District Truck Drivers’ Union, Senapati District Truck Owners’ Association and Senapati District Drivers’ Welfare Union.
The blockade was called from the midnight of January 16.
The three drivers’ organizations gave the Manipur government 15 days’ deadline to order a departmental inquiry into the recent incident where a Manipur police official had beaten up a driver mercilessly while on duty.
The organizations have demanded the termination of the police officer – assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Th Hitler Singh – from the service for being involved in harassing the drivers on the highway.
In a video, which went viral on social media, the police officer was seen threatening the man with a loaded gun.
Th Hitler Singh allegedly misbehaved with a truck driver from Senapati, while on duty.
The ASI was put under suspension with immediate effect until further notice, under Rule 66 of Assam Police Manual part-III.
The decision to lift the economic blockade was taken in a meeting attended by Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh and tribal & hills areas development minister N Kayisii and the functionaries of three Senapati based unions on Friday, sources said.
With the lifting of the economic blockade, about 59 goods trucks and 20 buses, which remained stranded along the Nagaland-Manipur border near Mao Gate, started moving towards Imphal, reports said.