Locals blocked the East-West Highway in ward 1 of Chandrapur Municipality, Rautahat, on Thursday morning after a man was killed in a hit-and-run incident.

The deceased has been identified as a 35-year-old Buddha Jimba of Mangalpur of the same ward.

According to police, Jimba was fatally struck by a vehicle at around 4-5am while leaving his house. The vehicle fled the scene immediately after the collision.

Following the incident, locals and the victim’s relatives obstructed police from collecting the body and staged a protest by blocking the highway. The road remained closed for nearly five hours, causing a massive traffic jam and leaving commuters stranded in the scorching heat.

Police said they are reviewing CCTV footage to identify the vehicle involved.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar Rai of the Area Police Office, Chandranigahapur, said efforts are ongoing to address the protesters’ demands and clear the highway for traffic.