Bhawanipatna: A couple died on the spot after an unknown vehicle ran over them while they were out on morning walk on Thursday morning.
The deceased were identified as Chandra Bemal (65) and his wife, Kalabati Bemal (58), natives of Mahichala village. Both were labourers. The incident took place at 6 am near Gholijiba Chowk under Junagarh police limits, about 37 km away from here.
Police suspect that a speeding truck coming from Junagarh road hit the couple on National Highway-26. Efforts were made to intercept the vehicle but in vain. Soon after the incident, locals blocked the road and did not allow the police to remove the bodies, demanding compensation and the driver’s arrest.
Hundreds of vehicles remained stuck for five hours on either side of the road, which connects Bhawanipatna to Nabarangpur and Jeypore. Local allowed the police to take the bodies for post-mortem only after the assurance of compensation by the district administration. DSP of Bhawanipatna sub-division, Ramesh Chandra Sethy told the media that Rs 2 lakh each will be paid within two months of submitting a report to the regional transport officer (RTO).
RTO, Kalahandi, Dinabandhu Sundhi, said in hit and run cases, compensation is paid from a Solatium Fund, a scheme formed by the central government to compensate the victims. However, Rs 20,000 was paid to the family on the spot from the Red Cross fund.
