protest against Assam driver killing
Protest at Silchar against Assam truck driver's killing in Meghalaya. Image credit - Northeast Now

Barak Democratic Front (BDF) on Wednesday staged a protest demonstration at Silchar against the killing of an Assam truck driver in Meghalaya and demanded strong punishment for the killers.

A group of BDF workers staged the protest demonstration in front of the statue of martyr Khudiram Bose.

A truck driver from Duhalia village under Patharkandi police station in Barak Valley’s Karimganj district was killed at Jowai in Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills on Monday.

The deceased truck driver was identified as Alak Das, son of Dhirendra Das from Duhalia village in Karimganj.

Alak Das died after two persons attacked him when he was sleeping in the truck outside the FCI FSD Jowai.

After killing him, the two unknown persons lifted the truck, which carried 500 bags of raw rice belonging to the FCI from Chansari FSD.

Also read: Assam truck driver murdered in Meghalaya, 1 arrested

His body was later found 5 km away from the place of the incident and a person was arrested in connection with the killing and lifting of the truck. However, the truck was later recovered.

The protestors said, “There has been no progress in the investigation into the case even after the arrest of a person in connection with the incident.”

Participating in the protest, Barak Democratic Front chief convenor Kalparnab Gupta said, “This was not the first of kind incident that happened in Meghalaya.”

“The drivers from Barak, who go to Meghalaya due to various purposes, are harassed. The residents of Barak and the Bengalis have remained as ‘soft targets’ in Meghalaya for long.”

“Enough is enough. BDF will not tolerate it anymore,” he added.

He threatened to take massive action if needed.

He said, “The people, belonging to the working class, have to work to run their families and the respective government and the Centre are responsible to ensure security for them.”

“But they have failed to perform their duties properly,” the BDF leader asserted.

The convenor of the youth wing of the organisation, Debraj Dasgupta, also spoke on the occasion.

He demanded that the killers of truck driver Alak Das be given strong punishment with immediate effect.

The protest demonstration was also joined by a number of drivers from Barak Valley.

They demanded that the Assam government should provide proper compensation to the family of the deceased truck driver, said a statement issued by BDF convenors Hrishikesh Dey and Joydeep Bhattacharjee.