Police have seized over 2,300 litres of diesel and petrol from the grey market till Thursday and the crackdown continued on Friday. In the grey market, the rate of petrol and diesel per litre is Rs 160 and Rs 90 respectively. A cylinder of cooking gas costs Rs 2000.
In a drive against illegal sale of petroleum products in Thoubal on Thursday, district police have seized 1,722 litres of diesel and 605 litres of petrol from different parts of the district. While the government is trying hard to ensure supply of essentials through the Imphal-Silchar highway, fuel and cooking gas continue to remain scarce.
Several black marketeers have also been arrested and cases registered against them at Sugnu, Waikhong, Kakching, Thoubal and Yairipok police stations, said K Jayanta Singh, SP (Thoubal), in a statement. The blockade of highways was first launched by the Kukis on August 1, seeking creation of Sadar Hills district by carving out Kuki-dominated areas of Naga-majority Senapati district. The Nagas, then, launched a counter blockade on August 21 to stop any move to bifurcate Naga areas without consulting the tribe.
The Kukis withdraw their blockade on November 1 after the Okram Ibobi Singh-led government assured them to look into their demand following the report of the district re-organization committee. The government also granted three more subdivisions to Sadar Hills. This angered the Nagas and the United Naga Council (UNC), the apex tribal body of the Nagas, intensified its highway blockade.
On the other hand, a combined team of police commandos of Thoubal district and 42 Assam Rifles conducted search operations at Nungourok village on Wednesday night and arrested a People's United Liberation Front (Pulf) militant. Arms and ammunition were found on the rebel identified as Md Itomcha (22).
Elsewhere in Chandel district, jawans of 31 Assam Rifles on Thursday intercepted an unclaimed bag containing banned drugs and five deer horns in the Khudengtabi area. The seized items have been handed over to officials of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and wildlife department in Imphal.