Bhubaneswar: The festive spirit of Durga Puja in Bhubaneswar descended into chaos on Monday night after a multi-vehicle crash and subsequent public outrage triggered intense drama near Esplanade Square.
Amid the massive surge of revellers navigating heavy congestion near major puja pandals, an SUV allegedly rammed into multiple vehicles close to Rasulgarh Durga Mandap under Shahid Nagar police limits, with reports indicating it struck up to four motorcycles and two other cars, injuring several pedestrians, before coming to a halt.
Angry locals and a group of youths quickly gathered at the scene and confronted the driver, pulling him from the vehicle and assaulting him before climbing onto the SUV, vandalising it, and ultimately flipping it onto its side. The situation became difficult to control as the crowd swelled and the arrival of a PCR van was reportedly delayed.
Shahid Nagar police eventually reached the spot, rescued the driver and towed the vehicle to the police station. Neither the driver nor local police officials have issued further comments.
Some accounts suggested the driver may have been under the influence of alcohol, though police have not confirmed this and a detailed investigation is underway to establish the exact cause, which may also involve reckless driving amid heavy traffic.
Meanwhile, the incident compounded the difficulties faced by commuters already navigating dense traffic grids near the popular puja pandal, where vehicles crawled for hours.
In response to the mounting gridlocks and safety concerns during the ongoing celebrations, the Commissionerate Police have deployed additional forces and introduced traffic diversions, particularly rerouting heavy vehicles arriving from Kataka and Khordha onto alternate paths. Bhubaneswar DCP Saravana Vivek M emphasised that security and traffic arrangements across the capital have been reinforced to manage the heavy footfall and prevent further mishaps.
