Six killed in separate road mishaps in Kokrajhar & Nalbari; protests erupt in Nalbari

Guwahati, Aug 12: Six people, including an 11-year-old boy and a college student, lost their lives in two separate road accidents in Kokrajhar and Nalbari districts, on Monday.

In the first incident, a college student, identified as Payal Debnath, was fatally struck by a speeding dumper while cycling to Spring Dales Academy on the Nalbari-Dhamdhama Road.

The truck fled the scene, sparking outrage among local residents and students.

Hundreds of angry residents and students took to the streets in protest, blocking the road and burning tyres to demand justice for Debnath and stricter enforcement of road safety rules.

The protest also brought vehicular movement along the road to a standstill during most of the day.

Police personnel were dispatched to the scene to pacify the protesters, but at the time of writing this report, the demonstrations are continuing and the road continues to be blocked.

In a separate incident, five people were killed when a speeding truck crashed near Mahamaya Temple in Kachugaon, under the Gossaigaon subdivision on National Highway 27, in Kokrajhar.

The victims, all residents of Hatigarh Village No. 1, have been identified as Sukran Roy (20), Jai Roy (11), Bappi Ghosh (21), Basudev Roy (22), and Naba Ghosh (26).

The lone survivor, Binan Roy (22), was rushed to Kachugaon Primary Hospital for treatment.

Notably, the same truck was involved in a second fatal collision at Bishmuri, under Kokrajhar police station, where it collided with a car, leaving two more individuals injured.

Following the accidents, senior police officials hurried to the scene, and an investigation into the incident is currently underway.

The deaths and ensuing protests have highlighted the urgent need for improved road safety measures in the state.