New Delhi: Massive queues of vehicles could be seen at petrol pumps across Meghalaya after the apex body of petroleum workers in Assam said that it has stopped transportation of fuel to the neighbouring state on Thursday evening.
According to a report by news agency PTI, hundreds of vehicles were seen waiting at the petrol pumps as people rushed to fill up tanks fearing fuel crunch.
The queues of vehicles also led to traffic congestion in Shillong and some other parts of the state.
Police officers were deployed to regulate the movement of vehicles at some petrol pumps, where motorists turned unruly while waiting for their turn.
It is to be noted that the Assam Petroleum Mazdoor Union (APMU) sent letters to all PSU oil marketing firms, including IOC, HPCL and BPCL, and informed them about its decision to not load fuel in tankers.
"Our drivers and handymen were attacked when there were disturbances in Meghalaya earlier. Some of them were critically injured. They have become handicapped for their whole lives. We cannot take any risk again," PTI quoted APMU general secretary Ramen Das as saying.
He further alleged that the trucks supplying non-petroleum products were pelted with stones over the last two days but "no harm has been done to oil tankers as of now".
"Therefore, we have decided not to take any load from today onwards until and unless Government of Meghalaya assures us (of) the safety and security of T/T (tank trucks) crews," the letter said.
Notably, the rush for fuel at the petrol pumps started after the letter started circulating on social media.
As per the Petrol Pump Dealers Association of Meghalaya, it has asked the state government to intervene to resolve the crisis.
Six people, including a forest guard, were killed in violence at a disputed area along the Assam-Meghalaya border on Tuesday, after a truck transporting illegally-felled timber was intercepted by forest personnel of Assam.