Doomdooma: National Highway-15 remained blocked for several hours at Kakopathar in Assam’s Tinsukia district on Wednesday evening as hundreds of people staged a protest demanding justice and compensation for the family of a student killed in a road accident.
The demonstrators included women, children and elderly residents. The blockade began after the body of the deceased, Bishnu Moran, was brought to the area following a post-mortem examination.
Led by members of the All Moran Students’ Union (AMSU), the protesters demanded adequate compensation for the bereaved family and strict punishment for those responsible for the accident.
“Two of our brothers met with a road accident. Bishnu Moran lost his life, while Satyajit Moran is battling for his life at Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh. We demand adequate compensation for the deceased student’s family and strict punishment for those responsible. Otherwise, our agitation will continue,” an AMSU leader said.
The leader also called for effective measures to prevent recurring accidents along the highway.
“We, the All Moran Students’ Union and the people of Kakopathar, have come together to seek justice. The administration must take effective measures to prevent recurring road accidents on this highway and ensure that innocent lives are not lost in such tragedies,” the leader added.
The accident took place around 3 pm on Tuesday at Dirak Sonjan along NH-15, under Tongna Police Station. According to reports, a head-on collision between a Maruti Alto and a motorcycle claimed the life of Bishnu Moran and left Satyajit Moran critically injured. Both were residents of a nearby village.
Personnel from Tongna Police Station reached the spot and launched an investigation into the accident.
The protest, however, was held several kilometres away from the accident site, within the jurisdiction of Kakopathar Police Station under Doomdooma Co-District in Tinsukia district.
The blockade brought traffic to a standstill, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded for several hours. Commuters travelling between Upper Assam and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh were among those affected.
NH-15 is an important connectivity route linking eastern Arunachal Pradesh districts, including Namsai, Lohit, Anjaw and Changlang, with Assam.
The agitation was called off following discussions with the administration and assurances that appropriate action would be taken. The protesters also submitted a memorandum before withdrawing the blockade, allowing vehicular movement along the highway to resume.
The incident has once again raised concerns over road safety along the accident-prone stretch of NH-15, particularly between Rupai Siding, Rojagarh, Kakopathar, Dirak and Mahadevpur, where frequent accidents have alarmed local residents.