Protest held over death of 36-yr-old in Tripura's Boxanagar

Representational image. Pic/iStock

A road blockade and the siege of a local police station resulted from a road accident that claimed the life of a 36-year-old in Tripura's Boxanagar. The incident sparked widespread discontent. This happened on Friday night when a Maruti car carrying sugar collided head-on with a local businessman named Ramprasad Dev, seriously injuring him.

Living in the Ratandol region of Boxanagar, Ramprasad was a mobile store owner. One day, he was harvesting mangoes near Pradeep Sahar's shop on Boxanagar Bazar Road when he was hit by a Maruti car that was driving at a high pace. He was badly hurt and rendered unconscious at the side of the road.

The vehicle left the scene right away, according to an ANI report, but nearby residents hurried Ramprasad to the Boxanagar Social Health Centre. He was referred to Agartala ILS Hospital due to the severity of his injuries, where medical professionals discovered serious damage to his kidneys, liver, brain, and spinal cord. At GB Hospital on Sunday morning, Ramprasad passed away from his wounds despite medical attempts. His wife and their 12-year-old child are left behind, and his passing has left a cloud over the village. Within an hour after the collision, Nitai Debnath, the driver, was taken into custody and the automobile was seized by Prashant Kumar Dey, the officer in charge of the Kalamcharrra police station.

Residents requested immediate action to stop similar accidents in the future as word of his death spread. The protest started as a nonviolent demonstration but soon turned into a wild scene that lasted for about four hours. Even the local police station and the OC's home were besieged by an enraged mob, which seriously damaged property.

Higher authorities intervened and the situation was brought under control. When Sepahijala District Police came to the site, they assured the demonstrators that their concerns would be taken seriously. They were escorted by Bishalgarh Sub-Divisional Police Officer Pannalal Sen and Sonamura SDPO Shashimohan Debbarma. In the end, they managed to diffuse the tension and lift the barrier by promising legal action and steps to improve road safety.

(With Inputs from ANI)