People in Manipur capital Imphal recently paid floral tribute to victims who had lost their lives in insurgent attacks, or had died due to illnesses or accidents.
The tributes were paid on the occasion of the silver jubilee of Drivers' Day.
The event was jointly organized by the All Manipur Road Transport and Drivers Union and other unions in Imphal's Langjing Achouba Parking area.
Drivers risking their lives have fulfilled their duties, even though they had to face dreadful consequences during the recent economic blockades in the region.
It has been estimated that nearly 202 drivers including helpers in the state have died in various incidents during the blockade.
"202 drivers have been martyred. The 202 drivers have either died in accidents, killed by underground forces, militants or due to malaria. Every year on 14th January 25th we commemorate drivers' day. Today we are commemorating the 25th year, silver jubilee at Langjing Achouba truck parking to pay our homage to them in this function," said General Secretary of All Manipur Transport And Drivers Union, H. Kulamani Singh.
The families of the deceased and retired drivers were also felicitated on the occasion.
Driving is often regarded as a risky profession in the underdeveloped northeastern Manipur state due to bad road infrastructure and poor connectivity.
Road accidents are common in India, where roads are often of poor quality.
Transport officials attribute a large number of accidents in India to reckless driving and untrained drivers.
