Assam: Truckers halt movement to Manipur after death of driver inside truck

A CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: The tragic death of a driver inside his truck triggered anger amongst his fellow drivers who have been stranded with their vehicles on NH-37 between Silchar and Imphal for the last few weeks. The angry drivers declared they would not move to Manipur if their security and safe passage were not guaranteed.

Nagina Kumar Mahato, a truck driver from Bihar, was found unresponsive inside his truck on Wednesday by his fellow drivers near Labankhan under Jiribam police. He was later declared dead by the attending doctors at Jiribam Primary Health Centre.

The incident caused a massive protest by the truck drivers who have been stranded between Lakhipur and Jiribam with their vehicles carrying essential commodities to Manipur. Massive landslides and regular road blockades by various ethnic groups in riot-hit Manipur have paralysed traffic movement. The stranded drivers are having to spend their days in acute scarcity of food, medicine, and even drinking water.

An angry driver alleged that Nagina Kumar had to die only because he could not reach any medical help due to the blockade. On the other hand, drivers alleged that they are being regularly harassed by local self-styled militants who extort money from them at gunpoint. Recently, Jiribam police had arrested one such cadre of UNLF (P) from his residence at Gossainpur in Udharbond.

Drivers alleged that they have received no assistance from the Manipur Government, though they have been left to starve. "We risk our lives and our families back home to deliver food to Manipur despite massive violence for the last couple of years. But in reciprocation, we get nothing from the government. We are simply left to destiny," a frustrated driver said.

The drivers declared that they would not move to Manipur until they received assurance from the authorities. Further, they demanded due compensation for the family members of Nagina Kumar.

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