BERHAMPUR: In a tragic incident, a 50-year-old coconut seller was killed and a flower vendor sustained injuries after being hit by a speeding car near Bijipur Chowk in Berhampur here on Sunday.
The deceased, Basanti Nayak of Bhairavi village was selling coconuts on the roadside near Santoshi Maa temple when the mishap took place. The accused car driver, 39-year-old Santosh Kumar Khadenga, initially fled after the incident but later surrendered before police.
As per sources, Khadenga was on way to Bijipur from Gosaninuagaon in his car when he pressed the accelerator instead of the brake by mistake and hit Nayak and the flower seller. The impact was so severe that after being hit by the car, Nayak’s head got banged against an electric pole nearby leading to her death on the spot.
Soon after, locals rushed the injured flower seller to the city hospital for treatment. He was discharged after being provided first-aid. Meanwhile, Nayak’s body was sent for postmortem.
Following her death, an NGO Stayee Bikash Lakshya (SBL), filed a petition before the NHRC holding the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) and the district administration responsible for the woman’s death.
President of SBL, Rabindra Kumar Mishra alleged that despite repeated pleas, the BeMC did not take steps to rehabilitate the roadside vendors and prevent traffic congestion in the city. He further urged that the family of the deceased be paid compensation as per norms and the district administration and the civic body directed to prohibit people from setting up makeshift shops along the road.