Imphal: Employees of the Head Post Office in Imphal on Tuesday staged a protest demanding action against those responsible for burning 37 mail bags in Manipur’s Ukhrul district and sought action against security personnel who were escorting the postal vehicle.
Holding placards condemning the incident, the protesters demanded the immediate arrest of those involved in setting fire to the postal consignments and called for action against the security personnel accompanying the mail van.
The protest followed an incident on Monday in which a postal van carrying consignments for the Ukhrul, Somdal and Kamjong post offices was intercepted near Shangkai Kuki village under Litan Police Station. According to postal officials, all the mail bags were seized and set on fire by persons enforcing a counter-economic blockade.
Speaking on the sidelines of the protest, Ukhrul Postmaster Wungreipam Rimai said the Ukhrul Post Office lost 32 mail bags, including 23 parcel bags, two speed post bags, three ordinary mail bags and two registered letter bags.
Somdal Post Office lost four bags comprising one parcel bag, two speed post bags and one ordinary mail bag, while Kamjong Post Office lost one mail bag, taking the total number of destroyed mail bags to 37.
Rimai said the destroyed consignments contained personal parcels and important documents, including ATM cards, passports and certificates, besides food items, clothes and other essential goods.
The Ukhrul Post Office has lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at Litan Police Station in connection with the incident.
Postal officials also announced that mail services in Ukhrul district have been suspended indefinitely until further instructions from higher authorities.