Army Man on Leave Beaten to Death in Mizoram Road Rage; Eight Arrested

A 29-year-old Army man who was returning home on vacation was allegedly beaten to death in a road rage incident in Mizoram's Kolasib district, police said. Eight people, including two minors, have been arrested in connection with the case.

The victim, Zakaria Lalhriattluanga, was serving in the Assam Regiment and was posted in Jammu and Kashmir. On September 20, he was travelling with his friend in a truck from Lengpui airport to his village in New Builum when the incident occurred.

According to police, a minor traffic dispute broke out with a group of youths on National Highway-306 between Bualpui and Thingdawl. The argument escalated into a fight, and the two men were thrashed. Zakaria died at the spot, while his friend John Laltanpuia, who was driving the truck, sustained minor injuries.

Zakaria's mother, Lalthazovi, said her son and his friend had stopped at the house of another friend at Bualpui for tea on the evening of September 20. After they left, they encountered a truck coming from the opposite direction that was being driven on the wrong side of the road because of poor road conditions, she said.

Witnesses said John confronted the truck driver and asked him to wait. At that point, around 20 youths belonging to a hockey team from Kawnpui town, a few kilometres from Bualpui, arrived in a pick-up truck. The youths, believed to be drunk, were returning home after victory celebrations from a picnic resort near Thingdawl.

While John was confronting the truck driver, the youths allegedly got down from their vehicle, pulled him out and beat him, witnesses said. Zakaria was also attacked when he tried to intervene. Their friend Lalchawiliana, who rushed to the spot after hearing the commotion, was also allegedly assaulted.

Lalthazovi said she had spoken to her son over the phone shortly before the incident, and he told her they would reach home around 6:30 pm. When he did not arrive on time, the family called again and he said poor road conditions had delayed them. Soon afterwards, Lalchawiliana informed them about the incident.

"We cannot understand how a person who lived far away to defend his country and was returning home to spend time with his family could suffer such a fate in the hands of miscreants before even reaching home," she said.

She appealed to the authorities to ensure that those responsible are identified and given stringent punishment, adding that the family wants justice for Zakaria.

According to his mother, Zakaria joined the Assam Regiment in 2017 and was posted in Srinagar. He was the second youngest of five siblings and had been shouldering the responsibility of supporting the family.

The 60-year-old said she and her 80-year-old husband, V L Duailova, a former pastor, are no longer able to earn a livelihood because of their advanced age. Zakaria's younger brother, Stephen Lalrinngheta, works as a daily labourer to support the family, while his elder brothers and a sister have separated from their parents and run their own households.

"Zakaria was the sole breadwinner of our family. He was our everything as we can no longer earn a living since we are old. He had also taken loans to build our house. His death has left us devastated," Lalthazovi said.