Police resorted to lathicharge, lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the agitators
Khurda: A road mishap at Kuradhamalla Square which claimed two lives here Monday took a violent turn when locals set ablaze a container truck, prompting the police to resort to lathicharge and lobbing of tear gas shells to disperse the agitators.
Gouranga Samantray (55), a resident of Madhapur under Kaipadar block, and his brother-in-law Sanjay Pradhan (38), a resident of Kankadahada under Bangida panchayat here, were on their way to Kankadahada on a motorcycle when they were crushed to death by the speeding truck (NL-01-N-4958) coming from Berhampur.
The incident occurred at around 10am when the duo—Pradhan the rider and Samantray the riding pillion—was waiting at Kuradhamalla Square to cross the road. In an attempt to save a group of schoolchildren crossing the road, the truck driver lost control over the heavy vehicle and hit the duo, sources said, adding the duo along with their motorcycle was dragged several metres away from the spot.
Following the incident, enraged locals torched the truck containing six multi utility vehicles (MUVs). They kept the bodies on road and staged a road blockade demanding construction of flyover at the spot and compensation for the families of the deceased.
Numerous vehicles remain stranded on either sides of the road for over three hours.
Sadar inspector in-charge (IIC) Bikram Jena along with two platoons of police force reached the spot and tried to placate the mob, but in vain.
Enraged locals blocked the entry of fire fighters following which the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) and superintendent of police (SP) reached the spot and tried to control the situation. But all their attempts placate the angry locals failed, said sources.
The inhabitants here, however, lost their temper after a few of the security men reportedly tricked them. “In order to disperse the agitators, some police personnel claimed that Pradhan was alive and took his body to the district headquarters hospital (DHH). However, the doctors there confirmed Pradhan’s death at the accident spot,” a protestor said.
The situation worsened after locals brought Pradhan’s body back to the spot and staged agitation again by placing the body on the road. The protestors even pelted stones on the security personnel, prompting the men in khaki to resort to lathicharge and lobbing of tear gas.
“When the situation went out of hand, we had to resort to mild lathicharge and even fire tear gas for about five minutes to disperse the mob,” Sadar police told Orissa POST, adding the protestors dispersed following the baton charge.
“We have recovered the bodies and sent them to the DHH for autopsy. Action will be taken after the post-mortem reports come,” said Sadar police.
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