Truck Drivers’ Videos Put Alleged Forced Puja Collections on Tripura Highways Under Spotlight

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, October 3, 2026

Truck drivers travelling through Tripura are increasingly recording roadside incidents on their mobile phones and sharing the videos on Facebook and other social-media platforms, with some clips allegedly showing motorists being asked or pressured to pay puja donations. The videos are drawing attention to complaints of forced collection along stretches of the National Highway network, particularly during the festive season.

According to allegations circulating among sections of the transport community, commercial vehicles travelling from Churaibari towards Agartala and Sabroom are sometimes stopped at different locations where money is allegedly sought in the name of Vishwakarma Puja, Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Hari Naam Sankirtan and other religious or local programmes. Transport operators claim that such demands are not limited to one particular location and that some drivers face repeated requests during a single journey.

The drivers’ decision to record such incidents has given the allegations greater visibility on social media. Some truck drivers are also reportedly creating videos in the hope of earning through Facebook and other digital platforms, turning roadside encounters into widely circulated content. However, the authenticity, location and circumstances of individual videos require independent verification before the allegations can be treated as established facts.

Transport operators have also raised a separate concern regarding the checking of vehicles coming from outside Tripura in the name of detecting narcotics and other prohibited substances. Law-enforcement agencies have a legitimate responsibility to conduct such checks, particularly given concerns over drug trafficking. At the same time, some outside-state truck drivers allege that repeated checking and questioning can amount to unnecessary harassment.

The allegations of forced collections have become particularly sensitive because Tripura’s National Highways are a major corridor for the movement of essential commodities and commercial goods. Drivers entering through Churaibari often travel long distances towards Agartala, Sabroom and other parts of the state, and repeated stoppages can affect both their schedules and their perception of road safety.

There is no dispute that voluntary contributions for religious and community programmes are a normal part of social life. The concern arises when, as alleged by some motorists, vehicles are stopped and drivers are pressured to pay against their wishes. If any such allegation is substantiated, the matter would require appropriate action under the applicable law.

Police authorities would therefore need to examine the viral videos and complaints individually, verify the locations and identities involved, and determine whether any unlawful obstruction, intimidation or forced collection has taken place.

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