Jajpur/ Korei: Traffic on National Highway-215 connecting Panikoli in Jajpur with Rajamunda in Sundargarh district was disrupted for four and a half hours after a biker died in a mishap at Patuli Square Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Umakanta Barik (21), an employee of Tata Steel in Kalinganagar, and a resident of Patuli under Korei block.
A passenger bus from Panikoli hit his bike from the rear when he was on his way to office. Umakanta fell off his bike and was crushed under the wheels of the bus.
The bus driver fled the scene soon after the mishap. The mishap sparked tension in the area with residents staging a road blockade demanding
compensation of `20 lakh for the
bereaved family and speed-breakers at Patuli Square. An irate mob also vandalised the bus.
The locals said the area is witnessing frequent road mishaps for error in construction at Benapur Golei Square of the highway.
This has happened due to lack of foresight on part of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), the agitators said. They warned of
intensifying their agitation if steps are not taken to rectify the
constructional errors.
Jajpur Road SDPO Kedarnath Sahu, Vysanagar tehsildar Sapan Kumar Nanda and Korei IIC Chinmayee Sahu assured the agitators of looking into their demands.
The agitators relented at 2 pm after which movement of vehicles
resumed on the highway. Police sent the body for post-mortem and
registered a case.
PNN
