Tensions have risen among hundreds of 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 Wednesday.
The deceased has been 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 road blockades and landslides along the Lakhipur-Jiribam stretch.
Truck drivers claimed that thousands of loaded vehicles have remained stranded on the highway for nearly a month, leaving drivers and helpers struggling to access food, drinking water, medicines and basic sanitation facilities.
According to fellow drivers, Mahto was found unresponsive inside his vehicle on Wednesday morning. He was taken to the Jiribam Primary Health Centre, where the doctor on duty declared him dead.
Police from Jiribam police station reached the hospital and sent the body to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examination. The exact cause of death is yet to be established.
The death has sparked anger among the stranded truckers, who alleged that authorities have failed to adequately address their prolonged difficulties. They claimed that drivers transporting essential commodities to Manipur have been forced to remain on the highway for weeks without adequate food, clean drinking water or medical assistance.
The drivers 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 truckers have demanded compensation for Mahto’s family and said they would not accept the body until their demand is addressed.
As a mark of protest, the drivers have announced a 24-hour suspension of goods truck movement to Manipur. They warned that the protest could be extended if the government fails to provide compensation and take steps to address the difficulties faced by stranded drivers.
The post-mortem examination is expected to establish the precise cause of Mahto’s death.
