ANGUL: Irate villagers of Durgapur stalled traffic on National Highway-55 for more than six hours following the death of a fellow villager on Saturday. According to police, in the wee hours, a patrol team found an oil tanker parked in the middle of the road at Katada, about 35 km from here. Police found the tanker driver, Bapi Dehuri (35), dead and informed his family members. Dehuri was working in a construction company engaged in NH expansion works.
Soon after the incident, hundreds of villagers thronged the NH and damaged two ‘dhabas’ along the road blaming them for the crime in the area. Police said the irate mob also set some motorcycles on fire. The protestors brought the movement of vehicles on both sides of the NH to a halt for nearly six hours. The strike was called off at about 12.30 pm on the intervention of local administration and police officials.
Meanwhile, a complaint has been lodged at Jarapara police station by Dehuri’s brother Samir. The IIC of Jarapara police station Bindhu Biswal said a case of unnatural death has been registered. “We are waiting for the postmortem report for further investigation,” she added.
The agitators called off the stir after the kin of the deceased was paid `1 lakh and a family member promised job in the construction company. Police investigation is on.