Odisha mob lathi-charged after truck kills five students
BHADRAK : Tension prevailed near Thana Chhak on NH-16 in Bhadrak district on Thursday evening after five school students were crushed to death by a truck. Police had to fire tear gas shells and resort to mild lathi charge to disperse the irate locals who had blocked the NH for several hours demanding adequate compensation for the families of the victims. Police sources said the mishap occurred at around 4.15 pm when the students were returning home from their school and the ill-fated truck hit them from behind.
While four students died on the spot, another succumbed to injuries during treatment. Four injured students were rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital. One of them was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack after her condition deteriorated. The deceased have been identified as Sarita Sahoo, Satya Barik, Swapna Jena, Pintu Sahu and Priyambada Mohanty and they were studying in Class IX in Ranital High School.
The students were walking with their cycles along the roadside after crossing the highway when the trailer ran over them, said an eye-witness. As the locals chased the vehicle, its driver and helper parked it on the road side and ran away. Later, the locals set the vehicle on the fire and blocked the highway demanding adequate compensation and an underpass at the accident spot.
They alleged that the mishap occurred due to rash driving and the driver of the vehicle was drunk. “Students always cross the highway risking their lives. Though we have been demanding an underpass, the NHAI authorities have turned a deaf ear,” claimed a local.Bhadrak Collector Gyana Ranjan Das, SP B Gangadhar and MLA Jugal Kishore Pattnaik rushed to the spot and held discussion with the agitating locals.But the people continued the blockade even after the Collector assured that the families of the deceased will be provided ex gratia of `4 lakh each. The police had to fire tear gas shells and resort to mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
“It has not been decided whether there will be a flyover or underpass. Since the highway will be six-lane, we will write to the NHAI to make adequate provisions including service roads to avoid mishaps,” the Collector said.The SP said driver of the vehicle has been arrested from nearby Asura village. “After the blockade was withdrawn, the bodies have been sent for post-mortem. Now the situation is under control and vehicular movement has been smooth on the highway,” he added.
Earlier on the day, expressing deep grief over death of the students, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced ex gratia of `2 lakh for each family of the victims. He also asked the district administration to arrange free treatment for the injured students.