A tragic road accident claimed the life of a young man near the Badabunga upper bridge under the Sargipali outpost jurisdiction of the Lephripada police station in Sundaragada district on Saturday.
The victim has been identified as Rajat Sunani, a resident of Badabunga village.
According to reports, Rajat suffered critical injuries after being hit by a speeding truck. He was rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead before treatment could start, while the driver fled the scene.
Furious over the incident, local villagers took to the streets and blocked the Coal Corridor road. The protesters are demanding adequate financial compensation for the bereaved family, along with the immediate identification and strict legal action against the absconding driver responsible for the tragedy.
Upon receiving information, local police and senior officials rushed to the scene, where Sundaragada SDPO Nirmal Kumar Mohapatra met with protesting villagers to restore normalcy.
Meanwhile, police are investigating the accident to find the truck and track down the driver, with officers remaining deployed at the scene to maintain order.
