By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 27: Just two days after Meghalaya Police declared they had busted a well-established fuel theft and adulteration ring on National Highway 6, and even detained 14 individuals, the North East Petroleum Mazdoor Union has announced that they would no longer be transporting petroleum products into Meghalaya from November 29.
The Union claimed in a petition to the Minister of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs that Meghalaya Police has been torturing oil tanker drivers and attendants since November 24 under the pretext of wrongdoing.
The Union claimed, “They forcibly caught some tankers and those who were stationed outside a Dhaba for food at 22 Mile,” and added that the following day, police officers also arbitrarily detained some loaded tankers.
The Union stated that although anyone caught red-handed engaging in improper behaviour can face legal consequences, innocent people should not be subjected to harassment in the name of checking malpractices. The Union’s statement was in response to reports from tanker crews that they are afraid to transport the load to Meghalaya.
“According to credible sources, if any driver denies the allegation, police personnel physically torture the driver and forcefully take statement and photograph,” the Union stated, while adding that starting on November 29 and continuing until the issue is resolved, they will not accept any loads in support of Meghalaya from IOCL, BPCL, or HPCL.
The Union requested that the minister end the intimidation of the drivers, look into the situation, and withdraw all of the cases that have been registered.
Meanwhile, the news report that the tanker drivers are purportedly stealing gasoline from their tankers has alarmed the Hynniewtrep Petroleum Workers’ Union (HPWU).
HPWU general secretary, RCR Kharsyntiew issued a statement in which he expressed the organization’s strong condemnation of such illegalities and urged all tanker drivers not to participate in them.
He claims that by acting in this way, they are also endangering their own lives in the event that the tanker blows up.