Sand Miners Protests Against Extortionists and Troublemakers in Manipur

Hundreds of women, laboring for daily wages to sustain themselves, staged protest marches denouncing the actions of criminal elements known for extorting money from truckers. They also expressed outrage at the firing incidents and destruction of vehicles involved in sand and pebble transportation.

The authorities of Keihao, Tumukhong, Moirangpurel, and Itham villages strongly condemned the burning of vehicles used for quarrying and the indiscriminate firing by militants in the inter-districts of Imphal East and Kangpokpi on March 17.

Numerous women, predominantly employed in sand mines along the riverbeds of these inter-district areas, participated in the protest rallies against the attacks and the exorbitant taxation imposed on trucks transporting construction materials, including boulders and stones from nearby quarries.

Banners and placards carried by the demonstrators bore messages such as 'Stop Harassing Truck Drivers', 'Allow Workers to Labor in Peace', 'End the People's Suffering', and 'Immediate Action Required from Authorities'.

These rallies were organized in response to the vehicle burnings that occurred on Sunday afternoon.

Achoubi Devi, a prominent figure in the protest movement, condemned the unauthorized taxation enforced by miscreants, ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per truck, for operations within the sand mines and pebble quarries.

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