Doomdooma: Hundreds of residents, including women and children, blocked the Doomdooma Bypass at Samdung in Assam’s Tinsukia district on Sunday, protesting the alleged failure of the police and civil administration to address repeated fatal accidents on the road.
The protest followed a deadly multi-vehicle collision on Saturday evening that claimed the lives of four people – Subrata Bhakto, Pintu Tanti, Ganesh Praja and Rajesh Kishan. A vehicle transporting fresh tea leaves reportedly collided with other vehicles, triggering a fire that engulfed several vehicles at the scene.
The protesters demanded immediate measures to improve road safety, accusing the authorities of failing to prevent recurring accidents along the bypass.
Irot Tanti, president of the All Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA), Doomdooma regional committee, described the road as a “death valley” and alleged that repeated accidents and surveys had not resulted in effective intervention.
“Only speed breakers will not be of use. Concrete action is needed, including a permanent police outpost, streetlights and checks on the sale of illicit liquor along the bypass,” Tanti told Northeast Now.
The fourth victim, Rajesh Kishan, was identified on Sunday. He was a resident of Pithaguri village in Kakojan under Phillobari and worked as a helper on the vehicle carrying fresh tea leaves. The intensity of the fire had initially made it difficult to identify the victims.
The protesters sought adequate compensation for the families of those killed, along with the installation of speed breakers and streetlights and the immediate establishment of a permanent police outpost at Samdung.
Warning of further agitation, Tanti said a bandh could be called in Doomdooma and across Tinsukia district if the authorities failed to take concrete action.
Pratim Neog, president of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Tinsukia, also called for the immediate establishment of a police outpost to check speeding and strengthen road safety enforcement.
“Human life is valuable. The authorities must take immediate and concrete measures to prevent further loss of lives on this bypass,” Neog said.
The latest accident has heightened public anger over road safety on the Samdung stretch, with residents demanding urgent administrative intervention to prevent further fatalities.
The blockade was continuing when this report was filed.