JAJPUR: The death of a woman and her daughter in an accident on NH-53 in Jenapur took a new turn on Thursday after it was found that the truck driver intentionally mowed down the duo in a road rage attack. Police said the truck driver intentionally hit the scooter of the mother-daughter duo to kill them after an altercation over wrong overtaking a few minutes prior to the tragedy. The truck driver, identified as Amar Swain of Totakana village, has been arrested.
While investigating the mishap, police suspected foul play and took suo motu cognizance of the case. On Wednesday night, Sritika Chakravorty (48) and her daughter Lipika Chakravorty (26), the victims, were killed after being hit by the truck on NH-53 near Barada Chowk within Jenapur police limits.
Sritika and Lipika were returning to their native Sukinda after attending an 11th-day death ritual ceremony at Mahakalapada in the neighbouring Kendrapara district. As they were about to reach Barada Chowk, a truck overtook their scooter on the wrong side. Lipika stopped the truck and had a heated exchange with its driver Amar. Before the altercation could turn ugly, locals intervened and pacified both of them.
An eyewitness said, “On hearing a commotion, we went to the spot and found the truck driver engaged in a verbal duel with two women who were on scooters. The truck driver was misbehaving with them. We intervened and brought the situation under control before sending them to their respective destinations.”
Amar went away with his truck and waited near Barada Chowk. When the mother-daughter duo reached there, he intentionally hit their scooter killing them on the spot, police said.
Jajpur SP Rahul PR said it is a clear case of murder. “During interrogation, the accused truck driver admitted that he intentionally mowed down the women after the altercation. We registered a murder case against the driver and further investigation is underway,” he added.