Tihidi: Tension prevailed after a motorcyclist was run over by a train at Sahapur level crossing on Bhadrak– Dhamra railway line in Bhadrak district Sunday, even as the victim’s family alleged that the level-crossing gate had been left open when the train passed.
The deceased was identified as Abhimanyu Parida, 45, of Kandaragadia under Sahapur panchayat.
Following the incident, angry villagers and locals blocked the Bhadrak-Chandbali State Highway at Pirahat market by burning tyres and demanding compensation for the bereaved family and a government job for one of the family members.
Family members and locals alleged that the level crossing gate was left open when the accident occurred.
They claimed Abhimanyu was crossing the railway track on his motorcycle when he was hit by a train travelling from Dhamra to Bhadrak.
After the news of Abhimanyu’s death spread, grieving family members and angry locals rushed to the spot and staged a road blockade.
Chandbali SDPO Prabhas Chandra Sahu, Pirahat IIC Rosalin Behera and Tihidi IIC Lopamudra Nayak reached the spot and held discussions with protesters, but efforts to restore normalcy did not yield any results as the protesters refused to relent.
Bhadrak MP’s nominee Sitakanta Nayak, Harasinghpur sarpanch Ajaya Mohanty and BJP leader Sangram Mohanty also tried to appease the protesters.
The protest was withdrawn after tehsildar Subashish Sahu assured the agitators of taking appropriate steps in this direction.