Hit and Run Kills Two School Children in Jirighat, Locals Block Silchar-Imphal Road

A heart-wrenching hit-and-run accident on Thursday (November 27) in Lalpani under Jirighat Police Station, along the Silchar-Imphal National Highway, resulted in the death of two school children. The accident occurred after an oil tanker allegedly rammed into their scooter from behind. The children died on the spot.

The deceased were identified as 4-year-old Sanatamba, a KG-1 student, and 3-year-old Abdul Samad, a Nursery student, both studying at Sunrise English School, Lalpani. As per sources, the children were returning home after school when Samad’s mother, who was riding the scooter, was hit by the speeding tanker. The impact of the collision proved fatal for the two minors. The driver of the tanker fled immediately after the incident.

Enraged by the tragedy, locals have blocked the highway in protest, demanding strict action and traffic regulation on the route. Police arrived at the site shortly after receiving the information and are currently monitoring the situation. Locals have staged a protest with the dead bodies of the two children in the middle of the road, demanding strict action against the truck that escaped after the hit-and-run and other such speeding trucks. An enraged public allegedly vandalised vehicles after this accident.

The incident sparks questions, especially in light of similar cases earlier this month. On November 25, 5 students were injured after a tripper truck hit them from behind, in Sribhumi’s Suprakandi area. One student had succumbed to the injuries in the hospital. In another incident on November 13, another tanker truck ran over and killed a student of Cachar College in Masimpur, Borkhola, who was returning home as a pillion passenger on her father’s scooter. Locals are questioning the lack of preventive measures and speed controls on highways, at least during the day.

This back-to-back loss of young lives has triggered urgent calls for the enforcement of speed regulation for heavy vehicles across Cachar’s highways. Authorities are yet to issue an official response.