Residents vandalise a tractor in Patna City on Wednesday. Picture by Sachin

Losing temper over serious and often not-so-serious issues and indulging in violence seem to have become a trend in the state capital. On Wednesday afternoon, citizens lost their cool over the death of a child in a mishap.

Angry residents of Maharani Sthan Gali under Maalsalami police station in Patna City beat up a tractor driver after the vehicle he was driving crushed a five-year-old boy to death around 2.30pm. They also blocked Damrahi Ghat Road, connecting Ashok Rajpath, for more than an hour.

A police officer said: “The tractor was ferrying sand from Damrahi Ghat. It chose to take a lane instead of a broader road. The victim, identified as Aditya, was playing in the lane and the tractor ran him over. The boy, son of an autorickshaw driver, died on the spot.”

Irked over the death of the child, the angry residents caught hold of the driver and thrashed him. He is recuperating at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital.

The tractor was vandalised and the mob tried to set it on fire. Some other tractors ferrying sand also faced the public fury.

Traffic on Damrahi Ghat Road came to a grinding halt for an hour, as the mob blocked it.

Ransacking of vehicles and road blockades is common in the city.

On January 21, an irate mob of the Sipara area under Jakkanpur police station resorted to violence over the closure of a link road, compelling people to cross the railway tracks. Two persons, including a woman, were crushed under the wheels of a train.

Violence ensued and a JCB machine engaged in the construction was burnt under Sipara bridge.

On August 17 last year, a tractor driver was burnt alive under the jurisdiction of Phulwari police station after two students died coming under the wheels of his vehicle.

Last April, Jagdeo Path remained blocked for two days after a person was killed in a firing incident.

Citizens said road blockades were a major problem in the city.

“Roads in Patna City area are blocked every now and then over trivial issues like power cuts. Patna City is a crowded area and road blockades make life hell,” Arvind Kumar Singh, a resident of the Alamganj area, told The Telegraph.

Some residents blamed the police for situations spiralling out of control.

“In most of cases, the police response time is very high. They reach the spot only after things flare up. Naturally, they take a lot of time to resolve the issue,” said Samresh Kumar, another resident.

Police officers said any road blockade triggers problems.

“Common people suffer because of road blockades. Whenever there is a blockade, the police reach the spot immediately and find a way out to tackle the situation. At times, it takes long to pacify the agitators,” an officer said.