Bhubaneswar: Bharatpur Police have arrested an employee of a private agency responsible for installing the ill-fated structure, which came crashing down in Bhubaneswar’s Aiginia area during a spell of gusty wind and killed two people on Tuesday.
The arrested has been identified as Sambit Mohanty. He was identified and apprehended from Fire Station chhak.
According to police, the hoarding was erected by the private agency, with Mohanty directly responsible for its installation. The structure was put up without mandatory approvals from higher authorities and lacked the required structural safety measures. The negligence in both installation and maintenance is believed to have led to the collapse.
The Tuesday incident took place when the victims – Tuna Gouda and Sachitananda Pradhan – and a few others took shelter near a shop under the large hoarding near Aiginia Durga Mandap along Patrapada-Aiginia stretch, as strong winds swept through the area. The structure collapsed within seconds, trapping them beneath. A woman, Mausumi Nayak, who was also present at the spot, sustained injuries in the incident.
On Wednesday, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Chanchal Rana informed that the hoarding was installed illegally. He further stated that the civic body had filed a complaint with police the same night regarding the incident. The day also saw family members of the deceased and local residents staging a protest at the spot, demanding justice and action against those responsible.
The incident has left residents shaken and raised serious questions about the unchecked proliferation of unsafe hoardings across Bhubaneswar.
