Massive protest in Lakhimpur to block big dam turbines trucks

A volatile situation erupts in Lakhimpur on Thursday when thousands of people staged massive roadblock to prevent the trucks carrying big dam turbines from proceeding towards Gerukamukh.

From midnight on Thursday, the protesters led by KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi blocked the national highway defying security barricade to stop the movement of the trucks after it left Dholpur after a massive police-protester clash.

Lakhimpur Deputy Commissioner Anowaruddin Chaudhury rushed to the spot and urged Akhil Gogoi to clear the highway. But the KMSS leader made it plain that they would not allow the trucks to leave Lakhimpur. He urged the deputy commissioner to take up the massive protest with chief minister Tarun Gogoi and warned of dire consequences if security forces resort to blank firing and lathicharge to disperse the people on protest.

The deputy commissioner later assured Akhil Gogoi that the trucks would not leave Lakhimpur on Thursday. But the protesters are refusing to leave the National Highway leading to Gerukamukh bordering Arunachal Pradesh.

AASU, AJYCP, TMPK also joined the protest. Notably, many people sustained injury in Dhalpur on Wednesday when security forces sprang upon them for staging roadblock to force halt of the trucks carrying turbines meant for the NHPC owned big dams.