Fatal rockfall at NH-29 Pagala Pahar claims life of truck driver

In a tragic incident, a dumper truck driver was killed on the spot after a rockfall struck his vehicle at Pagala Pahar area, along the Medziphema-Dimapur NH-29 stretch, around 8 a.m. on Friday.
According to police sources, the truck (MN01A A4181) was en route to Dimapur from Medziphema when a large boulder dislodged from the hillside and crashed directly into the cabin of the vehicle.
The driver, identified as Abdul Salam (28), a native of Hailakandi, Assam and resident of New Showuba, succumbed to injuries on the spot.
The body of the deceased was handed over to the family after completing all legal formalities, including inquest and post-mortem procedures.
In a similar incident in 2023, two individuals lost their lives and three others sustained injuries when massive rocks slid and crushed their vehicles near the police checkpost at Old Chümoukedima.
The incident had prompted widespread concern and calls for urgent intervention to mitigate the risk of recurring tragedies in the vulnerable stretch.
Friday’s accident has once again brought renewed attention to the hazardous conditions at Pagala Pahar, a stretch notorious for rockfalls and landslides, especially during the monsoon season.
Despite installation of rockfall barriers and slope protection measures by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL), the area continues to pose grave danger to commuters and transporters.
Local residents and frequent travellers have often raised concerns about the vulnerability of the stretch, particularly during and after continuous rainfall.