Digapahandi: Tragedy struck the family of a 10-year-old child labourer, whose father has migrated outside and his family was dependent on him, as a sand-laden tractor overturned on him near Bahuda river islet under Digapahandi block in Ganjam district Sunday.
The victim was identified as Prakash Naik, son of Prafulla Naik of Bhramarapur Dalit Sahi. Prakash, a Class V student, was reportedly working on a tractor owned by a villager for the past several days. Police said Prakash had accompanied other labourers to the riverbank around 6:30am to load sand.
After the tractor was filled, it tilted while being raised on its ramp, allegedly due to the driver’s negligence, and overturned. Prakash, who was seated on the vehicle, was trapped underneath and died on the spot. Fearing police action, an excavator was allegedly brought in hurriedly to lift the overturned tractor and move Prakash’s body to his home, villagers said. When the body was examined, injury marks were found. Informed, K Nuagaon police reached Bhramarapur, seized the body and sent it to MKCG Medical College and Hospital for postmortem. The body was later handed over to the family. The tractor driver is, however, absconding. Digapahandi tehsildar Santosh Kumar Sahu provided Rs 30,000 to the family from the district Red Cross fund, officials said.
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