A 29-year-old Army man, who was travelling home on vacation, has been allegedly beaten to death in an incident of road rage in Mizoram’s Kolasib.
The argument then escalated into a fight and they were thrashed. Eight people, including two minors, have been arrested. The youths, believed to be drunk, were returning home after victory celebrations from a picnic resort near Thingdawl. Zakaria was also attacked when he tried to intervene. Their friend, Lalchawiliana, who rushed to the spot after hearing the commotion, was also allegedly assaulted.
After leaving the village, they reportedly encountered a truck coming from the opposite side, which was running on the wrong side of the road due to poor road conditions, she told the news agency PTI. The incident took place on September 20 when Zakaria Lalhriattluanga, who was serving in the Assam Regiment and was posted in Jammu and Kashmir, was travelling with his friend in his truck from the Lengpui airport to his village in New Builum. Zakaria Lalhriattluanga’s mother, Lalthazovi, said that her son and his friend had stopped at the house of another friend at Bualpui for tea while travelling to their village on September 20 evening. At this moment, around 20 youths belonging to a hockey team from Kawnpui town, located a few kilometres from Bualpui, arrived in a pick-up truck. Zakaria’s mother said that she had spoken to Zakaria over the phone just before the incident and he told her that they will reach home at around 6:30 pm.
They then got into a “minor” traffic dispute with a group of youths who were returning after picnic from Kawnpui on National Highway-306 between Bualpui and Thingdawl, the police said. Zakaria died at the spot, while his friend, John Laltanpuia, who was driving the truck, sustained minor injuries, the police said. Witnesses said that John confronted the truck driver and asked him to wait. the youths allegedly got down from their vehicle and pulled him out of his vehicle and beat him, witnesses said While John was confronting the truck driver. “When he did not arrive in time, we called him again, and he told us that the poor road conditions had delayed them. Shortly afterwards, Lalchawiliana informed us about the incident to our utter shock,” Lalthazovi said.
“We appeal to the authorities to ensure that those responsible are identified and given stringent punishment. We want justice for Zakaria,” Lalthazovi added. Zakaria’s younger brother, Stephen Lalrinngheta, works as a daily labourer to support the family, while his elder brothers and a sister have separated from their parents and run their own families. “Zakaria was the sole breadwinner of our family. He was our everything as we can no longer earn a living since we are old. He had also taken loans to build our house.
The 60-year-old said that she and her 80-year-old husband, VL Duailova, a former pastor, are no longer able to earn a livelihood due to their advanced age. She said he joined the Assam Regiment in 2017 and was posted in Srinagar.
“We cannot understand how a person who lived far away to defend his country and was returning home to spend time with his family could suffer such a fate in the hands of miscreants before even reaching home,” she said. She said that he was the second youngest of five siblings and had been shouldering the responsibility of supporting the family. His death has left us devastated,” Lalthazovi told the news agency PTI.
