In a shocking display of negligence, Sarasakana MLA Bhadav Hansda’s SUV rammed into a motorcycle on the Khunta-Baripada state highway at Teramile Chhak, leaving two persons critically injured on Sunday afternoon.
The incident has ignited widespread outrage among locals, who accused the legislator of abandoning humanity by fleeing the scene without aiding the victims.
According to reports, the Scorpio car (registration number OD 05 AK 7493) was travelling from Baripada towards Udala when it collided head-on with a moped carrying Sanyasi Singh (55) and Michu Singh (60), a widow, both residents of Tangana village. Eyewitnesses described the crash as severe, with the victims lying helpless on the ground.
Instead of stopping to assist or transport the injured to medical care, MLA Hansda and his accompanying associates reportedly dashed away from the accident site, leaving the victims unattended. Villagers quickly rushed to the scene, rescuing both and initially admitting them to a nearby health centre. Due to their deteriorating health, they were later shifted to PRM Medical College for advanced treatment.
The MLA’s callous escape fueled anger among the community, who decried the loss of basic humanity from an elected representative. In protest, over a hundred villagers, including men and women, blocked the road at Teramile Chhak starting around 5 PM. The blockade created tense standoffs, disrupting traffic and drawing attention to demands for immediate action against the MLA, including filing a case in his name and providing compensation to the victims.
After receiving information, IIC Panchanan Mohanty, Tehsildar Om Prakash Mohanty, and SDPO Hrushikesh Naik arrived at the site to calm an agitated crowd. After two and a half hours of negotiations, the protesters agreed to disperse, having received assurances of legal action based on a complaint from the victims’ family and assistance as per law.
The protesters withdrew their demonstration after a three-hour blockade following assurances from the administration.
