Protestors block road with body in Behali after youth dies in collision with electric pole
Locals blamed PWD and APDCL for negligence and demand immediate pole removal and compensation.

Protestors sitting in the middle of the road
Behali, June 20: Protests swept through Rongagora in Behali after a tragic road accident claimed the life of 28-year-old Shiva Nayak on Thursday night. The youth lost his life after colliding with an electric pole positioned dangerously in the middle of the road, an issue that locals say has been ignored for years by authorities.
Residents placed Shiva Nayak’s body in the middle of the road, refusing to move it until the hazardous electric pole is removed. Traffic came to a standstill as the area turned into a protest site.
The accident occurred late Thursday night, with Nayak reportedly failing to spot the pole in time while traveling, leading to a fatal impact. The pole, installed by APDCL, and the road, reportedly constructed by Nameri Construction under PWD, have long been the subject of public complaints.
“This is not an isolated incident. There have been multiple accidents here because of this pole. Despite repeated complaints to PWD and APDCL, no one acted. Today we lost a life. We want the pole removed immediately for public safety,” said a local protestor.
“This is the fourth major accident, and earlier three others were left maimed. The blame lies with APDCL and Nameri Construction. They didn’t plan properly when the road was built. We’re demanding the pole be removed today and also asking for compensation for the victim’s family,” added another protestor.
The protest prompted the presence of senior officials, including Behali Block Development Officer Dewanand Nath, Behali MLA Diganta Ghatowal, and the Boragang Police, who arrived at the scene to calm tensions and hold discussions with the protestors.
However, locals made it clear that no compromise will be made until the pole is physically removed. Protestors also warned that no one will be allowed to move the dead body until concrete action is taken.