Truckers on indefinite blockade at Nagaland border over security

The indefinite blockade, which began at 7 am, has been called by five unions of truck owners and drivers over the killing of a trucker on September 22 by unidentified gunmen, he said. More than a hundred goods-carrying vehicles, including oil tankers, were stranded at Lahorijan, Khatkhati and Dillai, the main entry points at the Assam-Nagaland border, due to the blockade, he added.

Demanding security, truckers on Tuesday started an indefinite 'economic blockade' at the inter-state entry points of Dimapur, the commercial hub of Nagaland, a union leader said. The indefinite blockade, which began at 7 am, has been called by five unions of truck owners and drivers over the killing of a trucker on September 22 by unidentified gunmen, he said.

More than a hundred goods-carrying vehicles, including oil tankers, were stranded at Lahorijan, Khatkhati and Dillai, the main entry points at the Assam-Nagaland border, due to the blockade, he added. The truckers are demanding safety and also an ex- gratia for the family of the man from Assam who was shot dead Jiten Gogoi (31), a resident of Dhemaji in Assam, was shot dead near the IMC Hall around 2.30 am on September 22, police said.

The unions had served a three-day "ultimatum" to the state government on September 24, and went ahead with blockade as the government did not pay heed to their demand of ex- gratia for the family of the truck driver. The transport unions have deployed volunteers at Lahorijan and Dillai check gates area, preventing goods vehicles from entering the state.

A member of the Lahorijan and Khatkati Truckers' Welfare Society said the problem of "illegal multiple taxations" in Nagaland should also be stopped. "Truckers are not willing to go beyond the check-gates at the border to the Nagaland side," the driver of a goods vehicle, which is among those stranded at Lahorijan, told reporters.

Dimapur's Commissioner of Police Rothihu Tetseo has assured of an armed police escort to the truckers entering the state through the National Highway-29. The blockade has been called by the Dimapur District Truck Owners Association, Dimapur Truck Drivers' Union, Dimapur District Truck Drivers' Welfare Trade Union, Lahorijan and Khatkati Truckers Welfare Society and the Bokajan Truck Owners Association.

Police said that no arrests have been made in connection with the killing and an investigation is in progress.