Raiganj, Sept. 4 -- A Class XI student was killed after a motorised van ran over him on National Highway 12 near Tungidighi Bus Stand in North Dinajpur on Thursday night. The deceased was identified as Dharamraj Mahato (17), a resident of Laltola village in Tungidighi and a student of Titpukur High School.
According to local residents, Dharamraj was crossing the highway when a motorised van allegedly hit him from behind and ran over him. He died on the spot.
Following this incident, angry local residents blocked NH12 at Tungidighi for several hours, protesting what they alleged was inadequate traffic control in the area. The blockade led to huge traffic congestion on the busy highway.
Police personnel, accompanied by central forces, reached the spot and held discussions with the protesters. The road was reopened after the authorities assured the agitators that their demands would be conveyed to senior officials.
Niren Singh, a local resident, alleged: "Despite the presence of a traffic control office, only civic volunteers are deployed to regulate traffic at Tungidighi. We demand the immediate posting of a traffic officer in the area. We will organise a larger movement if our demand is not addressed."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.