Agartala, A 54-year-old truck driver was beaten to death by unidentified assailants in Tripura while he was driving his goods-laden vehicle from Assam to Agartala, the police said on Saturday.

Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Arindam Nath said that the attackers thrashed Pradip Debnath to death at Ambassa in Dhalai district (in eastern Tripura) on Friday night while he was driving his Agartala bound truck from Assam through National Highway-8.

"We have got some clues of the incident. One person was detained. Police are investigating the case. As the investigations are at an early stage, we are unable to disclose the details behind the crime," Nath told IANS.

The family members of the slain truck driver alleged the miscreants also looted Rs 40,000 from Debnath, a resident of Teliamura in western Tripura.

Local residents told the police that the goons, who were travelling in a Bolero car, stopped the truck before dragging Debnath out.

The culprits then managed to escape from the area, 95 km north of Agartala.

The assistant of the truck driver fled when the assailants started beating Debnath.