BERHAMPUR: A 30-year-old woman died after a low-hanging BSNL cable reportedly struck her neck while she was travelling on a motorcycle in Gajapati district on Monday.
The deceased was identified as Indira Beheradalai of Jhadapada village under R Udayagiri police limits. The mishap occurred on the main road near KM Valiasahi village at around 11 am.
According to police sources, Indira along with her relative Harischandra Nayak was travelling to a bank at Chheligada on a motorcycle. When they reached KM Valiasahi village, a sagging BSNL cable hanging across the road allegedly struck Indira on the neck, causing her to lose balance and fall from the bike. She sustained critical injuries and was immediately rushed to Chheligada community health centre. However, doctors declared her dead on arrival. Harischandra suffered minor injuries in the accident.
The incident sparked tension in the area with hundreds of local residents accusing BSNL authorities of negligence in maintaining telecom infrastructure. Demanding adequate compensation for the victim’s family and action against those responsible for the incident, irate locals blocked the road near KM Valiasahi.
“Strict action should be taken against the officials responsible for the upkeep of BSNL infrastructure as their negligence led to the fatal accident,” said the agitators.
Due to the blockade, vehicular movement on Chheligada-Ramgiri and Chheligada-Paralakhemundi routes remained disrupted for nearly five hours. The protest was called off after district officials announced immediate financial assistance of `15,000 from the Red Cross Fund and assured further support to the bereaved family.
Police later sent the body to the district headquarters hospital at Paralakhemundi for postmortem. A case has been registered and investigation is underway, said R Udayagiri IIC Kalpalata Pradhan.
