Bhubaneswar: Police on Wednesday arrested the driver of an SUV involved in a horrific hit-and-run incident on NH-16 in Bhubaneswar early on July 26 that claimed the life of a fish vendor, whose body was dragged for nearly three kilometres, leaving it severely mutilated.
The accused has been identified as Amit Sahu (25), a vegetable wholesaler from Badabazar in Brahmapur. He was taken into custody following an intensive probe and remanded to judicial custody after a local court rejected his bail plea. Sahu faces charges including rash and negligent driving, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and causing death by negligence.
The incident occurred around 4 am on July 26 amid heavy rain and poor visibility near the Tamando flyover area. Hadibandhu Mallick (45), a fish trader from Baghamariin Khordha district, and his cousin Kabi Mallick (44) were on a two-wheeler (moped/Luna) when it was struck from behind. Hadibandhu fell unconscious on the road and was dragged by the vehicle up to Baramunda bus stand area, while Kabi sustained injuries and was treated at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
The two men had come to Bhubaneswar to procure fish supplies and had stopped due to waterlogging from the downpour.
Initial investigations led police to suspect possible involvement of two vehicles, one that knocked them down and another that dragged the victim. However, forensic evidence, including damaged bumper parts recovered from the scene, along with extensive CCTV footage scanned across a roughly 20-km stretch of the highway, confirmed that only Sahu’s SUV was involved.
Police matched vehicle details through the Vahan database and traced the SUV. Sahu, who was travelling from Brahmapur to Bhubaneswar along with another youth, allegedly fled the scene without helping the victims or informing the police. He reportedly headed towards Kolkata before returning to Brahmapur on Tuesday, switched off his phone, and attempted to evade arrest.
Police nabbed him in Brahmapur following a tip-off.
