A tragic road accident near the Barpalli toll gate on State Highway 10 claimed the life of 35-year-old Sukanta Dung Dung, a resident of Barpalli, on Sunday afternoon.
The mishap occurred around 4 PM when a truck (OD 14M 5960) rammed into the rear of a scooter (OD 16D 9125) near Kansabahal outpost.
Sukanta, who was returning from Rourkela with a companion on personal business, died on the spot after the impact flung both the rider and the scooter several meters. His fellow rider suffered serious injuries and was rushed to Rourkela for medical treatment.
The incident triggered massive protests by local villagers who blocked the road, demanding ₹5 lakh as compensation. They halted traffic by placing the deceased’s body on the road, causing a long jam on both sides and disrupting vehicular movement.
Rajgangpur DSP Manoranjan Pradhan arrived at the scene with police personnel to pacify the agitators. After assurance of compensation from the administration, the body was taken into custody for post-mortem at Rajgangpur Community Health Centre.
