Rights Activist Moves NHRC Over Death Of Woman Vendor In Road Rage In Odisha’s Berhampur

Berhampur: A human rights activist has filed a petition with the OHRC and the NHRC against the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) and district administration for the death of a street vendor in a road rage in Berhampur.

According to sources, the woman vendor was standing at her roadside stall with her puja materials including coconuts, flowers and fruits near Santoshi Maa Temple at Bijipur in the city when a speeding car ran over her. The woman, identified as Basanti Naik of Paluru village under Golanthara police station, died on the spot.

The car driver fled with the vehicle, but surrendered at Gosani Nuagaon police station later.

Following the incident, Rabindra Mishra, a human rights activist of Stayee Bikasha Lakshya (SBL), an NGO working in Bhimaraopeta, has filed a petition before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC).

“An innocent woman died today due to negligence of the administration to solve the traffic problems. It is the administration’s responsibility to clear the traffic jams and to rehabilitate the roadside sellers in safe place for their business transactions,” said Rabindra.

He said inaction and irresponsibility of the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) and district administration had led to the loss of an innocent life. The authorities should be held accountable for their negligence, he said and sought Rs 20 lakh compensation for the family of Basanti.

“There is acute traffic congestion due to roadside shops and even if the houses are built for them, those are not suitable for business activities,” he alleged and appealed to the NHRC and the OHRC to look into this issue and solve the problem permanently.

The activist also sought their intervention to direct the BeMC and district administration to take immediate steps to avoid the traffic congestion in the city by rehabilitating the roadside vendors.

Earlier, Rabindra had written several letters to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and other departments to solve the traffic congestion in the city and rehabilitate roadside vendors by providing them safe place to carry on their business. But no action has been taken till date, Rabindra said.