One of the agitating truck owners died after an eight-day hunger strike here on Wednesday, triggering tension and law and order problem in the district.
Angry over the death of Prem Ranjan Behera (55), the agitators went on the rampage at the district collector’s office and damaged his official vehicle besides that of the Additional District Magistrate. Behera was former vice-president of Keonjhar District Truck Owners’ Association.
Behera died at the Anandpur Hospital around 11.30 am before being shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
Members of the association have been on an hunger strike near the collectorate from September 4, demanding transportation of minerals by trucks instead of by train.
“Behera’s condition deteriorated on Tuesday night and was rushed to government hospital at Anandpur on Wednesday morning,” one of the agitating truck owners said.
Soon after the news of his death spread, hundreds of truck owners ran amok at the collectorate, damaged the property of mining office and burnt a motorcycle. Another group of truck owners also blocked the National Highway-49 at Keonjhar, Suakati and Turumunga.
“We would constitute a peace committee under the chairmanship of Sub-Collector and talks with the truck owners will be initiated,” said District Collector Balwant Singh.
The truck owners, who gheraoed two state ministers on Tuesday, had been agitating ever since the State Government restricted mineral transportation through trucks in the wake of the mining scam.
Though the government had earlier assured them to allow trucks to transport minerals, practically they were denied permission, the owners alleged.
About 10,000 trucks remained idle for a long time since the State Government imposed the restrictions, they said.