Imphal: Transporters in Manipur will stop plying vehicles indefinitely along Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar National Highway-53 from August 26 in protest against renewed harassment and extortion by militants, a transport association said.

Blaming the government for not protecting the people, M D Liyakat, president of the Imphal-Silchar Road Transport Society (ISRTS) told reporters that militants of National Socialist Council of Nagaland – Isaak/Muivah (NSCN-IM) and Kuki outfits had intensified extortion by imposing various taxes in the recent past.

Liyakat said apart from collecting yearly "vehicle taxes", the militants had imposed another one-time- payment of fresh tax of Rs 5,000 per vehicle.

The militants had also threatened the transporters that if Rs 5,000 per vehicle was not paid by August 8, no vehicle would be allowed to ply along NH-53, Liyakat said, adding that because of this, regular transport services had been disrupted on NH 53 since August 8.

Official sources confirmed frequent harassment to transporters and passengers travelling along NH-53 by the militants. The state government had already brought these problems to the notice of the Central government, sources said.

However, the state government has not so far deployed adequate forces along NH-53 citing shortage of personnel in spite of demand for it from various social organisations such as United Committee Manipur.

PTI