BHUBANESWAR: Just before he was chosen to be Odisha’s new Chief Minister on Tuesday, Mohan Charan Majhi spent hours at Capital Hospital to be with the family of his personal assistant who died in a road accident.
Majhi’s personal assistant Chandan Mohapatra (31) was hit by a speeding car near Nilakantha temple within Nayapalli police limits at about 11 am. He was rushed to Capital Hospital where doctors declared Mohapatra dead.
“Mohan Bhai visited the hospital when Mohapatra’s postmortem was being carried out and stayed there,” said Nauri Nayak, former BJP MLA from Rengali.
The CM designate went home and then joined the legislature party meeting where he was elected the leader. Nayak said Mohapatra was on his way to Majhi’s official residence when the mishap took place. Mohapatra had been working for Majhi for several years.
Police said the spot where the accident took place has a single road. “Mohapatra was travelling on a motorcycle when he was hit by a car coming from Gopabandhu Square. His right leg was severely damaged and he sustained injuries on his head too,” said a police officer.
Police said the car has been seized and its owner had been identified. They, however, said that the owner of the car was not present and his driver was on the wheels.
A case has been registered, an investigation launched and efforts are on to nab the absconding driver, said the police.