Tension escalated along the Assam-Mizoram border on Tuesday after more than 100 truck drivers staged a blockade at Lailapur in Assam’s Cachar district, halting Mizoram-bound commercial freight over allegations of repeated harassment across the interstate border.
The protest, which began on Sunday, entered its third day, with the drivers refusing to transport goods until the authorities provide a permanent solution to their concerns.
The protesting truckers alleged that commercial vehicle operators travelling to Mizoram frequently face hostility, intimidation and other difficulties. They claimed that despite raising the issue with the authorities in the past, no effective mechanism has been put in place to ensure their safety.
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The situation turned tense on Tuesday after officials from the Cachar district administration reached Lailapur and attempted to disperse the protesters and restore the movement of traffic.
The move was met with resistance from the truckers, who intensified the blockade by parking heavy vehicles across the highway. The protesters maintained that their primary demand was the safety of drivers and that they would not resume transportation merely on assurances to restart traffic.
The blockade has left dozens of goods-laden trucks stranded along the important interstate corridor, disrupting the movement of essential supplies between Assam and Mizoram.
The transport workers said they would not allow commercial consignments to proceed beyond the Lailapur checkpoint until the governments of Assam and Mizoram put in place concrete measures to ensure the safety and security of truck drivers.
Police and district administration personnel have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order and monitor the situation.
Meanwhile, discussions are underway between the authorities and the protesting truckers in an effort to resolve the issue and restore normal commercial traffic along the Assam-Mizoram route.