ROURKELA: A pickup van driver was allegedly beaten to death by three truck drivers from Bihar for causing an accident on Bankibahal-Bhedabahal coal corridor at Suruda under Bhasma police limits in Sundargarh district on Friday afternoon.
The deceased was identified as Rajesh Munda (34),a resident of Bhasma area. In the evening, police arrested the accused truck drivers - Manish Kumar (24), Bikash Kumar (23) and Amrit Lal (25), all from Gaya in Bihar.
The incident took place between 2 pm and 2.30 pm in Sadar block of Sundargarh, around 130 km from Rourkela. IIC of Bhasma police station Amar Hota said after parking their vehicles at the roadside, the accused truck drivers went to buy watermelons from a vendor.
Another truck driver Mukesh Yadav (35) of Gaya was crossing the road to join the trio when an approaching Mahindra pickup van driven by Munda hit him.
The IIC said seeing their friend injured, the three truck drivers in sudden provocation brutally assaulted Munda, leaving him critically injured. Subsequently, they carried Munda and the injured driver in the same pickup vehicle to Sundargarh Government Medical College and Hospital. While Munda was declared brought dead, Yadav was admitted with fracture leg and injuries to head and other parts of body.
Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Sundargarh Nirmal Mohapatra said a murder case has been registered in connection with the incident. The accused drivers have been arrested and would be produced in court. The deceased’s body has been preserved for autopsy on Saturday.