Nagaland minister Temjen Imna Along stranded as protest erupts over tea worker’s death in Assam

Nagaland Minister and BJP state president Temjen Imna Along found himself stranded for hours on Monday evening after enraged locals blocked the Dhodar Ali road in Assam’s Mariani area, protesting the death of a tea garden worker in a road accident.

The dramatic scenes unfolded near Kathalguri Tea Estate, where a vehicle carrying raw tea leaves overturned in Section No. 2 of the garden, leading to the death of 25-year-old Deepak Praja, a tea worker. 

Locals, blaming the accident on poor road conditions and the alleged negligence of the tea estate management, staged a fierce protest and road blockade.

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As the news of the worker’s death spread, hundreds of tea estate workers and local residents descended on the historic Dhodar Ali, bringing all movement to a standstill. Temjen Imna Along, who was travelling through the area at the time, was caught in the blockade, with his convoy immobilised amid heavy agitation.

Security forces were deployed urgently, and the Titabor Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) reached the site to pacify the protesters and clear the road. However, tensions remained high late into the evening, with the blockade continuing and traffic severely disrupted.

This unexpected entanglement of a prominent minister in the middle of a grassroots protest has cast a spotlight on the long-standing grievances of tea garden workers and the poor infrastructure in Assam’s plantation belts.

Authorities are working to resolve the impasse, but the incident has raised serious questions about worker safety, emergency preparedness, and the condition of interstate transit routes.