The Tripura government on Wednesday served a showcause notice to the District Magistrate (DM) in Khowai district and suspended the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Teliamura, in connection with the tragic death of a truck driver in the district’s Chakmaghat areas, officials said. 

Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, in a Facebook post on Wednesday night said that in connection with the tragic death of Mihirlal Debnath, a truck driver, who lost his life on Tuesday in Teliamura, the state government has constituted a three-member committee headed by Secretary, Revenue, (Relief Rehabilitation and Disaster Management) Brijesh Pandey to investigate the incident.

The Chief Minister in his post said that a show-cause notice has been issued to Khowai District’s DM Rajat Pant, an IAS officer, and Teliamura’s SDM Parimal Majumder was suspended for their negligence in duty to save the life of the truck driver.

Financial assistance of Rs 6 lakh has been sanctioned (Rs 4 lakh from the Disaster Management Department and Rs 2 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund) for the family of the victim.

Social Welfare and Social Education Minister Tinku Roy and Industry and Commerce Minister Santana Chakma would visit the residence of the deceased, Saha said, adding, “We remain firmly committed to justice and to upholding the people’s faith in our government”.

“The inquiry committee was directed to submit a detailed report at the earliest. Appropriate action would be taken if any negligence is found on the part of any individual," the Chief Minister said in another social media post.

Truck driver Debnath, who was trapped inside the cabin of the cement-laden lorry after the vehicle hit a tree at Chakmaghat in the early hours of Tuesday, succumbed after an at least seven-hour-long rescue operation failed.

According to a viral video, one person claimed that the cutter machines brought to rescue the driver did not function.