SAMBA, November 3, 2026 – Traffic on the busy Jammu-Pathankot National Highway came to a grinding halt for several hours as angry villagers and bereaved family members staged a massive protest at Jatwal in Samba district, following the tragic death of a local youth in a severe road accident.
The protest erupted after the victim, identified as Chetan Kumar, lost his life due to a fatal collision on the highway. Irate residents, grief-stricken by the sudden loss, took to the streets and placed physical blockades on the arterial road, severely disrupting the movement of vehicles on the crucial Jammu-Pathankot route.
During the demonstration, the agitated villagers raised slogans against the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the local civil administration, accusing them of criminal negligence regarding road safety. The protesters highlighted the deteriorating condition of the highway stretches, lack of proper signage, and absence of traffic regulation measures, which they claim have turned the Jatwal stretch into a deadly accident-prone zone.
The protesting locals demanded immediate intervention from the government to improve road infrastructure, ensure stringent traffic safety measures, and provide adequate compensation to the grieving family of the deceased youth.
Sensing the gravity of the situation and the massive traffic snarl building up on the highway, senior civil and police officials rushed to the scene. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Samba, Anuj Kumar, along with Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ghagwal, Kawaljit Singh Bali, engaged in prolonged pacification talks with the agitated crowd.
The administrative officials assured the villagers that their grievances regarding highway safety would be immediately taken up with the NHAI and that a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the fatal accident would be conducted. Following concrete assurances from the authorities, the protesters relented and lifted the blockade, allowing the stranded highway traffic to resume normal operations.
Published by True Roots Media Network