Aug 16
Crippled with protests and militancy, Manipur is showing no signs of let-up in violent activities. What NETV will bring to light today will surely shock many, as it reveals a dangerous trend of carrying out extortion activities in Manipur. Cycle Rickshaw first came into existence in India in the early forties of the last century. But in Manipur, the cycle rickshaw came to exist in the early 1950s. Traditionally, cycle rickshaw is the cheapest and easiest mode of transportation for the people of Manipur. There are more than thirty thousand rickshaw pullers in Manipur and about fifteen thousand rickshaws pullers are concentrated in Imphal city alone. Many of these rickshaw pullers are the only bread earners of their families… In fact unemployed youths taking up rickshaw-pulling as a means of employment is another sorry chapter in Manipur altogether. Given the choice between starvation and militancy, many youths chose the hard way… choosing to shun guns…but if many of them have turned to the jungles, there is frustration, vengeance and various reasons for drifting away. A state torn apart by militancy, and where anyone can be one…not even the rickshaw pullers are spared. Now again they are caught between the crossfire of militants and security forces. Theirs troubles have doubled even tripled. First they have to bribe on many occasions to the concerned officials for licence… then there is a choice to face the police baton on the roads or pay the hard earned money to a corrupt cop…And as if to deal the final blow…militants have from time to time used the poor man’s vehicle to carry subversive acts…And now they are under police scanner all for the wrong reasons…a crime they never committed. Imphal Police has warned the people of the State to be careful while hiring a rickshaw for ride or renting out rooms to rickshaw-pullers. This warning was issued after two hardcore militants were caught in the guise of Rickshaw-Pullers. As in other parts of the country, rickshaws are a common sight in Manipur and there is nothing suspicious about them; or is there? These two impoverished-looking individuals could easily get away as rickshaw-pullers. This is actually how they were operating their extortion racket in and around Imphal bazaar until they were caught recently by the combined team of Bishnupur Police Commandos and 193 Battalion of BSF while trying to kidnap a person for ransom in Bishnupur district in Manipur. Two pistols were recovered from the two hardcore KCP cadres who posed as rickshaw-pullers. Concerned at the modus operandi of the armed activists, authentic rickshaw-pullers see this trend as threat to their livelihood. Many poor people and jobless youths depend on rickshaw as a means of sustenance, others take up rickshaw-pulling as a last resort. If the latest trend of using rickshaws for extortion continues, it could pose serious security problems in Manipur and more so there will be increase in vicious circle activities of bribing to escape, fake encounters, police highhandedness all for a reason…militancy has to be done away with. But then again the rickshaw pullers will continue to be always at the receiving end…and their lives left at the mercy of those with the weapons and power?
Crippled with protests and militancy, Manipur is showing no signs of let-up in violent activities. What NETV will bring to light today will surely shock many, as it reveals a dangerous trend of carrying out extortion activities in Manipur. Cycle Rickshaw first came into existence in India in the early forties of the last century. But in Manipur, the cycle rickshaw came to exist in the early 1950s. Traditionally, cycle rickshaw is the cheapest and easiest mode of transportation for the people of Manipur. There are more than thirty thousand rickshaw pullers in Manipur and about fifteen thousand rickshaws pullers are concentrated in Imphal city alone. Many of these rickshaw pullers are the only bread earners of their families… In fact unemployed youths taking up rickshaw-pulling as a means of employment is another sorry chapter in Manipur altogether. Given the choice between starvation and militancy, many youths chose the hard way… choosing to shun guns…but if many of them have turned to the jungles, there is frustration, vengeance and various reasons for drifting away. A state torn apart by militancy, and where anyone can be one…not even the rickshaw pullers are spared. Now again they are caught between the crossfire of militants and security forces. Theirs troubles have doubled even tripled. First they have to bribe on many occasions to the concerned officials for licence… then there is a choice to face the police baton on the roads or pay the hard earned money to a corrupt cop…And as if to deal the final blow…militants have from time to time used the poor man’s vehicle to carry subversive acts…And now they are under police scanner all for the wrong reasons…a crime they never committed. Imphal Police has warned the people of the State to be careful while hiring a rickshaw for ride or renting out rooms to rickshaw-pullers. This warning was issued after two hardcore militants were caught in the guise of Rickshaw-Pullers. As in other parts of the country, rickshaws are a common sight in Manipur and there is nothing suspicious about them; or is there? These two impoverished-looking individuals could easily get away as rickshaw-pullers. This is actually how they were operating their extortion racket in and around Imphal bazaar until they were caught recently by the combined team of Bishnupur Police Commandos and 193 Battalion of BSF while trying to kidnap a person for ransom in Bishnupur district in Manipur. Two pistols were recovered from the two hardcore KCP cadres who posed as rickshaw-pullers. Concerned at the modus operandi of the armed activists, authentic rickshaw-pullers see this trend as threat to their livelihood. Many poor people and jobless youths depend on rickshaw as a means of sustenance, others take up rickshaw-pulling as a last resort. If the latest trend of using rickshaws for extortion continues, it could pose serious security problems in Manipur and more so there will be increase in vicious circle activities of bribing to escape, fake encounters, police highhandedness all for a reason…militancy has to be done away with. But then again the rickshaw pullers will continue to be always at the receiving end…and their lives left at the mercy of those with the weapons and power?
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