JIRIBAM, Jun 3 : Vehicular movement along NH-37 (Jiri-Silchar) came to a standstill since yesterday evening after enraged locals of Hmarkholien village of Assam’s Cachar district, close to Manipur border, enforced bandh along the highway after a minor girl from the village died in a hit and run case.
Esther Lalremfel (6) d/o Sangmingthang of Hmarkholien under Lakhipur subdivision of Cachar district, Assam died on the spot when a truck coming in high speed hit her yesterday around 2.45 pm reportedly under the nose of two police personnel on duty.
The anger of the locals was fuelled when the two police personnel allegedly failed to cooperate with the locals in stopping the truck. The police personnel also reportedly feigned ignorance of the registration number of the vehicle involved in the hit and run case. The locals spontaneously imposed bandh along the highway since yesterday when police allegedly did not cooperate with the locals even after lodging a complaint at the PS. The infuriated villagers also removed the plane sheets of a bridge at Hmarkholien village besides torching a Tata truck and a Bolero jeep.
Tension continues to prevail even as officials concerned rushed to the village to solve the matter. Tension was heightened when personnel of CRPF and police resorted to firing of tear gas shells and gun fire on protesters.
The villagers said that the protest would continue until the truck involved is taken into custody. They also strongly denounced the reported silence of the local MLA on the matter.
Source: The Sangai Express
