Unsafe Bhubaneswar: Man sleeping on footpath run over by car, accused absconding
Though no liquor bottles were recovered from the car, police have not ruled out the accused was driving under the influence of alcohol.
Published: 01st October 2023 09:17 AM | Last Updated: 01st October 2023 09:17 AM | A+A A-
Image used for representational purpose.
BHUBANESWAR: In yet another incident that has brought to the fore the highly unsafe roads in the state capital, a man, sleeping on the footpath at Rajmahal Square was killed after being run over by a speeding car late on Friday night. The victim Dinabandhu Baral of Pipili was rushed to the hospital where he succumbed.
People present at the spot tried to chase and catch the vehicle and its driver but the latter managed to escape. The car involved in the mishap was found abandoned on the bed of the Daya River within Dhaulu police limits on Saturday morning.
Sources said a few other persons sleeping on the footpath had a narrow escape in the incident which occurred after 1 a.m. Initial investigation suggests the accident took place when the car approaching from AG Square took a U-turn at Rajmahal Square. “The car involved in the accident has a registration number of Cuttack. The owner was identified and a team reached his house on the day but he was not present. Efforts are on to nab him,” said an officer of Capital police station.
Police have registered a case in this connection under various sections of IPC including 279 and 304 A. Though no liquor bottles were recovered from the car, police have not ruled out the accused was driving under the influence of alcohol.
There has been no let-off in road accidents in the state capital in the last two years. As per data, 737 accident cases were registered under Bhubaneswar Urban Police District (UPD) in 2022 and 526 were registered between January and August this year.
Around 196 people lost their lives in road mishaps in the city in 2022 and 149 have succumbed in the last eight months of this year. While 339 people sustained serious injuries in 2022, the number stands at 322 between January and August this year. Police said at least 212 people sustained minor injuries last year and 138 in the last eight months this year.
