Teacher, Son Run Over By Truck In Odisha’s Sonepur; Locals Vandalise Police Vehicle

Sonepur: Tension prevailed in Odisha’s Sonepur as locals staged a road blockade and vandalised a police vehicle after a speeding truck mowed down a father-son duo at Block Square on Tuesday night.

The deceased have been identified as Rajkumar Mahakud, a 46-year-old high schoolteacher, and his 17-year-old son, Ompreet, of Baladi village under Tarabha police limits.

According to sources, the accident took place when Rajkumar was returning home after picking his son from tuition last evening. The scooter later caught fire after being dragged along the road for nearly one km and subsequently engulfed the Hyva, which the driver abandoned near the Police Reserve Line, fearing mob fury.

Alleging negligence by traffic cops present at the accident spot, the locals staged blockade and also vandalised the vehicle of Sonepur SDPO Pratap Tripathy. Following which, police reportedly resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse them.

The protesters lifted the blockade after Balangir MP Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, and senior district administration officials reached the spot and pacified them.