Tyres on fire on NH 31(C). Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, July 27: A youth enforcing a 1000-hour highway blockade was crushed to death today when he positioned himself in front of a car whose driver stepped on the accelerator to break free of a crowd that waylaid him.

The death occurred in Bongaigaon on National Highway 31(C), 50km from Bengal’s border with Assam, where the All Koch-Rajbongshi Students’ Union had paralysed movement of vehicles for the past eight days demanding a separate Kamtapur state.

The activists want six districts from north Bengal and five from Assam to be declared a new state. The only other highway in the area (NH 31) is also under the blockade.

The victim, identified as 25-year-old Bireswar Roy, was among hundreds of activists who were taking turns at enforcing the blockade.

Police said the agitators blocked the road around 11.30am when they saw the silver Tata Victa, which was proceeding from Guwahati to Dhubri, 90km from the spot.

“The agitators stopped the car and got into an argument with the driver on why he was out on the road during the bandh,” a police officer said. The driver, identified as Zakir Hussain, tried to flee by stepping on the accelerator.

“Bireswar tried to stop the vehicle by standing in its way but was crushed under the left front wheel. He died on the spot,” the officer added.

The driver, apparently a chauffeur, surrendered at a police station around 12km away. He was arrested and charged under section 304-A of the IPC, which relates to “causing death due to a rash and negligent act”. The police said the offence was bailable with punishment of jail term up to three years.

More charges could be slapped on the driver to pacify the infuriated agitators who squatted on the road with the body. As thousands of people from nearby villages joined the vigil, the Assam government sent a minister to the spot.

The activists allowed the body to be sent for post-mortem after several hours of talks during which the minister pledged a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to Bireswar’s parents and a government job to his younger brother.