Scribe injured in road mishap

From a Correspondent

DOOMDOOMA, May 16:  Dhiren Deka, a local correspondent of an English daily, got injured on Sunday when the auto-rickshaw he was travelling in was suddenly attacked by a wayside cow on NH-38 near Tingrai.

Dhiren Deka boarded the auto-rickshaw at Makum and was on his way to Digboi to attend a meeting of the Tinsukia District Jourlists Body. Road traffic accidents due to free movement of animals like domestic cows and goats on the roadside is quite a common feature on this important tiol highway. A few years back the district administration issued official notification forbidding the free movement of the animals of the nearby dwellers on the road, especially at night during winter season, in view of a number of road mishaps taking  place on this highway then.  At the same time, it is utter callousness on the part of the District Transport Authority to allow light vehicles like auto-rickshaws to ply on the tiol highways to cover long distances up to 24km and beyond in this route.

Most of these auto-rickshaws do not have side doors on either side, thus posing great risk of road traffic accidents to the commuters. Dhiren Deka suffered injury on his left knee and was allowed to go home after having prelimiry treatment at Doomdooma 30-bedded FRU.