IMPHAL, October 22: Some armed miscreants torched an excavator and a bull dozer while another bull dozer was pushed down the gorge during the wee hour today in Tamenglong district.
According to police sources the incident occurred around 1 am when heavily armed individuals came to a labour camp situated in between Dailong and Tamenglong district, Tamenglong police station.
The sources further informed that the armed individuals on reaching the place fired several rounds in the air without any warning and called out all the labours from inside the camp.
The labours were made to lie down facing the ground while the miscreants collected the keys to the machines. Subsequently, they turned on the engine of the bull dozers and forced it down the gorge while an excavator (JCB JS-200) and another bull dozer (D-50) were set ablaze after its engines failed to start, further revealed the sources.
The police also informed to have recovered 5 fired cartridge of AK assault rifle along with one misfired cartridge and a hand grenade with its safety pin intact.
It has been further informed that the earth moving machineries were currently engaged in widening of Tamenglong to Tamei sub-division into double lane.
The motive behind the attack could not be ascertained as no individuals or organization involved in the arson have claimed responsibility.
