Minor girl dies as bus dragged her for half kilometer in Odisha, irate locals stage road blockade 

In a tragic road mishap, a 14-year-old girl was killed after being hit and dragged by a bus for nearly half kilometers on Sonepur-Bolangir road near Gaintala tehsil in Bolangir district on Tuesday morning. In the mishap, the deceased’s father and sister were injured seriously. 

The incident triggered tension in the locality as hundreds of local ransacked the bus and staged a road block, demanding action against the driver and justice to the family. Due to road block, traffic on the road came to a halt.

According to a source, Binapani Pandey of Brahmanipali village along with his two daughters was going to Puintala block to update their AADHAAR cards on a motorcycle. Binapani was riding the bike and his daughters were sitting pillion. As they were nearing Gaintala tehsil, a private bus named ‘Ganapati’ coming from behind hit them. Under the impact of the collision, Binapani and his two daughters fell on the ground. As one of his daughters came under the wheels of the bus, it dragged her for a half kilometer, leading to her death on the spot. 

Local people immediately rushed Binapani and his daughter to Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital where they are learnt to be battling for life. 

In another incident, a crane driver who was engaged to remove a mangled truck from the road died and an ASI injured in Baripada today morning. 

According to a source, a truck moving from Baripada towards Balasore turned turtle and overturned on Baripada-Balasore National Highway No-18 in Baripada on Tuesday morning. On being informed, ASI Pradeep Rout from Baisinga Police station reached the spot to look after the rescue operation. A carne was engaged to remove the truck from the road. As the rescue operation was underway, a car moving at a great speed hit the crane driver and the ASI, leading to the former’s death.