‘We Are Stopped Every Week’: Angry Residents Break NIT Silchar Gate Over Access Road

A tense situation unfolded at Bhorakhai Tea Estate in Assam’s Cachar district on Saturday (July 18) after hundreds of residents protested against the alleged closure of a long-used access road by the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Silchar. During the protest, a group of demonstrators broke one of the institute’s entrance gates. Police later reached the spot and brought the situation under control.

According to local residents, the road passing through the NIT Silchar campus has been used by the tea garden community for many years. They alleged that one of the access routes has been blocked, forcing them to use an alternative temporary route, which they claim is also closed at regular intervals.

Speaking to the media, a resident alleged that the temporary route is blocked once every week, preventing people from travelling through the area. He claimed that whenever the issue arises, only security personnel employed by a private security company interact with the public, while officials of NIT Silchar do not come forward to speak with them.

The resident further said that the security company may change in the future, but the institute will remain. He added that the protesters want to discuss the issue directly with the NIT Silchar authorities rather than with private security personnel.

Residents also claimed that the route is used daily by schoolchildren, workers and other members of the tea garden community. They alleged that the repeated restrictions have disrupted their normal movement and caused hardship.

During the protest, around 400 residents, including men, women and youths, gathered near the campus and damaged an entrance gate. Protesters warned that if the road is blocked again, they would intensify their agitation.

Police personnel reached the area soon after the incident and managed the situation. Tension, however, continued to prevail in the locality at the time of reporting.