BHUBANESWAR: Tension erupted on the busy road near Xavier Square here on Saturday evening after a man driving an SUV triggered a series of accidents before the locals managed to get hold of him. Five persons are reported to have suffered injuries in the incident.
Police said the car first hit a small pick-up truck. Under the impact of the collision, the truck rammed into an auto-rickshaw which in turn hit the rear-end of a cargo three-wheeler.
Locals said some schoolchildren were travelling in the passenger auto and were injured in the accident. However, the police claimed that no injury was reported on the spot.
Enraged over the incident, the locals held the car’s driver captive, blocked the road between Xavier Square and Salia Sahi and staged a demonstration for over an hour. Maitri Vihar police reached the spot but failed to pacify the protesters.
As the local cops faced opposition in taking the man into their custody, additional force was dispatched to the accident site. While the police were whisking him away, locals reportedly stopped the PCR van too.
Police assured the protesters that compensation will be provided to the owners of the damaged vehicles following which the blockade was withdrawn. Sources said the car’s driver was under the influence of alcohol. “The car driver’s alcohol test will be conducted. A probe has been launched and further action will be initiated accordingly,” said Maitri Vihar police station IIC, Rabinarayan Behera.