Bhubaneswar: A 34-year-old motorcyclist lost his life near Shastri Nagar Square late Monday night after a speeding luxury Mercedes-Benz rammed into a motorcyclist, dragging him for nearly 300 metres.
The deceased has been identified as Debi Prasad Routray. The incident, which occurred around 10:30 pm, triggered public outrage as locals intercepted the fleeing vehicle and clashed with its occupants before police intervened.
According to eyewitness accounts, the vehicle collided with Routray’s motorcycle with such force that the two-wheeler was completely mangled, flinging the rider onto the road and causing fatal injuries. Passers-by and local residents immediately rushed to the spot and rushed the critically injured to Capital Hospital. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Tension escalated when the Mercedes-Benz driver allegedly attempted to flee the scene. Enraged locals blocked the vehicle, detained the driver and a woman passenger inside, and tried to assault them. Kharavel Nagar Police immediately arrived at the scene, rescued the duo from the agitated crowd, and took them to the station for questioning. The rescue operation further fuelled the crowd’s anger, with many suspecting possible influence that could lead to the driver’s release. Protesters vandalised the vehicle, attempted to set it ablaze, and blocked the road, disrupting traffic in the area for nearly an hour.
Senior police officials later reached the spot, pacified the protesters, and assured them of strict legal action. Both vehicles have been seized, and a detailed investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the accident.
