North Lakhimpur: Two people were killed and two others injured in a series of road accidents along National Highway-15 between Narayanpur and Banderdewa in Assam’s Lakhimpur district over the past 48 hours, prompting renewed concerns over road safety on the busy highway.
In the latest incident, a morning walker identified as Ranjan Saikia was killed after being hit by a speeding vehicle at Bhogpur under Narayanpur Police Station on Wednesday morning. Local residents alleged that Saikia was struck by two vehicles one after another. They said the nature of the injuries, particularly to his head, suggested that more than one vehicle may have been involved.
The incident occurred less than two days after a fatal crash at the same Bhogpur stretch of NH-15. A Tata Harrier (AS 23 B 4006) allegedly collided with a motorcycle (AS 07 B 5796), killing the rider and injuring two pedestrians.
The deceased in that accident was identified as Biren Borah, 59, a schoolteacher from Chengelijan village.
In a separate incident at Aamtol in Narayanpur, two people suffered serious injuries after an unidentified speeding vehicle allegedly hit a motorcycle (AS 07 E 8102) carrying a pillion rider. Local residents reportedly rushed the injured persons to a hospital. Their identities were not immediately available.
The latest accidents come around three weeks after the death of Nirmali Rajkhowa, a nurse at Mahatma Gandhi Model Hospital in Narayanpur. Rajkhowa was killed on August 29 at Madhavpur when a hatchback allegedly struck her two-wheeler while she was returning home.
The repeated crashes have caused concern among residents in the Narayanpur area, who have pointed to speeding, inadequate enforcement of traffic regulations and limited space for pedestrians and two-wheeler users as factors contributing to the risks along the highway.
Residents have also raised concerns about the condition and availability of road shoulders along sections of NH-15. They alleged that adequate paved or earthen shoulder space has not been maintained in parts of the Narayanpur stretch, forcing pedestrians and two-wheeler riders to share limited road space with fast-moving vehicles.
Locals have urged the authorities to conduct a safety assessment of the highway, particularly at accident-prone stretches, and introduce measures to improve pedestrian and two-wheeler safety.