Boinda/Athamallik: Three youths moving on a bike were killed after the rider lost control on the motorcycle and rammed onto a roadside tree at Patapathar near Pedipathar on Boinda-Athamallik road in Angul district late Sunday night.
The deceased were identified as Kathi Dalai (20), Paramananda Dalai (24) of Pedipathar village and Ranjit Rout (24) of Sindurkhol village. The bike rider, Kathi and the two youths on pillion, were returning home late night after witnessing Jharjhari festival at Athamallik. The bodies and the damaged bike were found lying about 100 mtrs from the road side.
A pall of gloom descended on the area after news spread. Tension prevailed as residents of nearby villages assembled at the spot and blocked the Boinda-Athamallik road for six hours.
They staged a demonstration at the mishap site demanding compensation of Rs 5 lakh for each of the bereaved families. The road blockade disrupted traffic on the route as several vehicles were left stranded on the road for long hours.
Police said over-speeding was the reason behind the mishap while others claimed that they were killed after an unknown vehicle hit them from rear while they were talking to each other by standing on roadside.
On being informed, Athamallik tehsildar Dibyalochan Mohanta, BDO Niranjan Sahu, SDPO A Kerketta, Thakurgad police IIC Babakhya Nayak, Zilla Parishad member Chitaranjan Karna rushed to the spot and tried to placate the villagers into withdrawing their protest.
The agitators relented after the tehsildar announced Rs 10,000 from the district Red-Cross fund and Rs 2,000 under Harishchandra Yojana to each of the bereaved families. He announced payment of insurance money if the vehicle papers and the driving license of the rider are found in order.
Later, the villagers submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister through the tehsildar. Police sent the bodies for post-mortem and registered a case in this connection. PNN
