Tension flared up at Daruthenga village on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar after a local resident was crushed to death by a garbage-carrying vehicle on Sunday.
In protest of the incident, hundreds of residents blocked the road connecting Cuttack and Khordha for long hours.
The deceased has been identified as Ramchandra Gagrai. As per reports, the vehicle engaged in transporting garbage hit Gagrai while he was going somewhere riding a bicycle.
As the news broke, hundreds of people came onto the road and staged a blockade, demanding a permanent solution to the problem.
“It is not an accident. It is a conspiracy of the BMC to kill people living here. The BMC has set up a slaughterhouse here. It has transformed the area into a cremation ground. Two months ago, a BMC van took the life of a villager in similar fashion at the same spot and same time,” alleged a fumed resident.
Expressing his concern, the senior Congress leader Suresh Routray said, “It is a freedom fighters’ village. I salute the local people’s patience. There have been accidents and agitations. Yet, they are living with all the odds for the sake of Bhubaneswar residents. I want a permanent solution to their problems.”
Meanwhile, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) mayor Sulochana Das and BMC commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange reached the spot and held a discussion with the locals.
As per the latest update, the agitating locals lifted the blockade after BMC mayor Das announced an assistance of Rs 5 lakh and a contractual job to one of the family members of the deceased. The BMC also decided to temporarily suspend dumping of garbage at Bhuasuni.
“One of the family members will get a contractual job and the family will receive a compensation of Rs 5 lakh,” said Das.
(Reported by Atulya Bout, OTV)