LAHAN: Locals obstructed the Mahendra Highway in Lahan by burning tires protesting the killing of a youth by a tipper on Friday.

Dilip Kumar Mahato, 24, of Shreepur-5 was killed on the spot when a tipper — Na 7 Kha 6413 — hit him on Friday morning.

Police have arrested the driver of the tipper.

Chief at Area Police Office, Dhalkebar Inspector Ram Kumar Yadav said Mahato, who protested the illegal excavation of sand from a river, died on the spot when he was ‘intentionally’ hit by a tipper.

Agitating locals have blamed people involved in the illegal excavation of sand behind the ‘murder’ of Mahato as he was raising voice against the extraction of pebbles and sand from the river.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Locals said that the tipper ran over Mahato, who out for morning walk, after being dragged to the river.

Mahato’s body has been sent to the hospital in Janakpur for postmortem, according to the police.