Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Feb 27: A 26-year-old engineering student was killed in a road accident Thursday night in Chandrasekharpur area, police said.
The deceased Mahaprasad Swain’s family however alleged he was murdered after a brawl with his college mates.
Swain, who was living in Unit-VIII area here, died after his motorcycle hit a road divider. He was declared dead by doctors at Capital Hospital while Varun Jena, his friend who was riding pillion, was briefly admitted to KIMS Hospital with minor injuries and later discharged after first aid.
Police sources hinted the duo was inebriated at the time of the mishap.
Swain’s father Balaram refused to believe his son’s death was an accident and insisted there was foul play. “There was a function at his college Thursday. He got into a fight with a group of boys over some issue. He was later killed by them deliberately,” he alleged.
Situn, the deceased’s friend, said Swain came to his house at 7:15 pm with injuries suffered in the fight. “Swain was bleeding when he came to my house at around 7:15 pm. He told me about the fight he had at college. I suggested him to go home and take first aid,” Situn said. Swain’s uncle Biswajeet too alleged his nephew was murdered, and termed it a “pre-planned attack”.
Swain’s family, accusing the police of trying to cover up the investigation, proceeded to the Commissionerate Police headquarters here with his body to lodge a protest.
Relatives alleged they wanted to meet police commissioner Rajendra Sharma and urge him to conduct a thorough investigation, but were barred by ACP Aseem Kumar Panda from doing so. However, Panda assured Swain’s family that a proper investigation will be conducted in the case and asked the family to complete the last rites of the deceased.
Responding to the allegations, Chandrasekharpur police station in-charge Sarath Kumar Sahu said it seemed likely that the student was killed in an accident. “A case has been registered and an investigation is on,” he said.
