Death of an ailing man on the way to hospital allegedly due to the Assam Rifles’ delay in opening its entry gate triggered a protest in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district on Tuesday. Irate villagers imposed a lightning bandh in the district briefly that severely affected normal vehicular movement along the Imphal-Moreh section of NH-102.
A fifty-eight year-old man from Sita village of Tengnoupal district reportedly died inside the vehicle in which he was being transported for medical treatment to Imphal after his condition became serious late Monday night. He reportedly succumbed at the entry gate of the Assam Rifles at Sita Lamkhai along NH-102 where the vehicle had to remain stopped after the Assam Rifles allegedly delayed in opening the gate.
The villagers alleged that the entry gate which was found locked with a padlock was not opened for about an hour even as they requested to allow proceeding without delay citing the serious condition of the man.
According to a daughter of the deceased man, her father was being rushed to the primary health centre at Tengnoupal district headquarters by hiring a van after his condition deteriorated.
Alleging that refusal to open the entry gate was the main reason behind the death of the man, villagers of Sita and its neighbourhoods protested.
Owing to the sudden imposition of the shutdown, hundreds of vehicles moving on NH-102 were stranded at various places.
The shutdown was, however, reportedly suspended at 2 pm following a talk with the authorities of the district administration.
NNN