Reported by Manoj Kumar Ojha
Doomdooma: Local residents and regional branches of ATTSA staged a highway blockade on NH-37 on Thursday evening at Doomdooma in Assam’s Tinsukia district, demanding compensation for the bereaved families and stricter control over speeding heavy vehicles.
They placed the mortal remains of the two youths on the middle of the road who were killed in a road mishap on Wednesday evening near the Beesakopie Tea Factory in Tinsukia district.
“We are demanding adequate compensation for the families of the deceased and immediate steps to regulate the movement and speed of heavy vehicles on this route,” an ATTSA representative said during the demonstration.
According to police, the accident took place around 9 pm on Wednesday when a dumper truck allegedly hit a motorcycle travelling towards Doomdooma. Both riders died on the spot due to the impact. The deceased were identified as Rajiv Toppo (28) and Anthony Sona (25), residents of Phillobari village.
“The investigation into the incident is currently underway,” a police official said.
In protest against the incident, local residents along with members of the All Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) blocked NH-37 on Thursday, disrupting traffic movement for several hours.
Long queues of vehicles were seen stranded on both sides of the highway as demonstrators raised slogans demanding justice for the victims and stronger measures to prevent recurring accidents in the area.
Senior police and civil administration officials later reached the spot and attempted to bring the situation under control.
Protesters said that reckless driving and overspeeding by heavy vehicles have become a serious concern on the highway, leading to frequent accidents.
Later, the protesters submitted a memorandum to the Doomdooma Co-District authorities seeking financial assistance for the victims’ families and implementation of stricter traffic safety measures along the busy highway stretch.