Tensions mounted among truck drivers stranded along Manipur’s National Highway 37 after a goods vehicle driver was found dead inside his truck near Labankhal in Jiribam district on August 13.
The deceased was identified as Nageena Kumar Mahto, a resident of Narayanpur in Bihar. Fellow truckers said Mahto had been stranded on the NH-37 route amid prolonged blockades and landslides along the Lakhipur-Jiribam stretch.
According to the drivers, thousands of loaded vehicles had remained stuck on the highway for nearly a month. They said drivers and their helpers had been facing difficulties in accessing food, drinking water, medicines and basic sanitation facilities during the prolonged disruption.
The truckers said they attempted to contact Mahto on Wednesday morning after noticing that he was unresponsive. He was later found unconscious inside his vehicle and taken to the Jiribam Primary Health Centre, where the attending doctor declared him dead.
Jiribam police reached the hospital after being informed of the incident and sent the body to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Mahto’s death triggered anger among the stranded drivers, who accused the authorities of failing to address their difficulties. They alleged that drivers carrying essential commodities to Manipur had been forced to remain on the roads for weeks without adequate access to food, drinking water and medical assistance.
The truckers also criticised the Centre and the Manipur government, alleging that their concerns had not received adequate attention despite the prolonged disruption of road connectivity.
The drivers demanded compensation for Mahto’s family and said they would not accept the body until their demand was addressed.
As a mark of protest, the truckers announced a 24-hour halt on the movement of goods vehicles to Manipur. They warned that the protest could be extended if the government failed to provide compensation to the deceased driver’s family and take steps to address the problems faced by stranded truckers.
The exact cause of Mahto’s death will be determined after the post-mortem examination.
