News Desk :: Shopkeeper dies on the road, truck set on fire by angry mob

A shopkeeper named Akram died in a tragic road accident in Puthia, Rajshahi. Angered by the incident, the local people blocked the road and set fire to two dump trucks. The incident took place in front of the Cat Burning Shrine in Puthia on the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway on Tuesday (May 5) morning.

The deceased, Akram (around 60), was a resident of Sarda Thanapara area of ​​Rajshahi. He was a tailor by profession. He had a tailor shop in the Bataldaha Mazar area of ​​Puthia.

Eyewitnesses said that Akram was crossing the road after finishing his breakfast at around 7 am when one of the two dump trucks carrying sand from Puthiabazar to Natore ran over him and dragged him for some distance. He died on the spot.

Immediately after the accident, angry crowds blocked the highway and set fire to the two trucks involved.

It has been alleged that the mobile phones of some people present at the scene were snatched, vandalized and set on fire. This caused severe traffic congestion on both sides of the highway.

When Puthia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Faridul Islam reached the spot after receiving the news, the agitated crowd initially attacked the police. Later, he brought the situation under control after talking to the locals. At that time, the locals demanded that dump trucks be stopped from plying on the road during the day and speed breakers be installed. The situation calmed down somewhat after the OC assured to take necessary action regarding these demands.

Meanwhile, Farhad Hossain, Deputy Assistant Director of Fire Service Rajshahi, said that they were initially hesitant to go to the scene due to the tense situation. Once the situation normalizes, work will begin to control the fire with the help of police and locals.