Tension In Bhadrak After Youth Meets With Accident During Mask Enforcement Drive

Tension flared up on Friday evening at Bhadrak town when a young man was left with a broken leg after a two-wheeler hit him during a mask checking drive by the Police.

The injured, identified as Prabhat Mishra from Ward number 25 under the Bhadrak Municipality, was walking home near the Carmel School in the town when the mishap occurred.

As per reports, police personnel were checking wearing of masks and panalising the offenders at the spot when they encountered two bike-borne youths without face covers. The Police started chasing them after the riders evaded the barricades and tried to flee.

However, they could not go too far and crashed into Mishra who was walking nearby, fracturing his leg in the process.

Mishra was immediately rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital where he is currently under treatment.

Speaking to the reporters, Mishra said, “The Police should not have chased them. It was dangerous on a busy street. They hit me from behind panicked by the Police chase.”

Soon after the incident, locals gathered and protested alleging Police excess. They burnt tyres and blocked the road for a long time before the senior Police officials reached the spot to pacify them.

Muna Khuntia, a protester said, “We have been noticing the Police launching surprise attacks on people without masks, endangering their lives on the road. It is being done with malafide intentions and for bribe.”

“We will meet the Collector and SP and submit memorandums to stop this Police excess as soon as possible. We will also launch peaceful protest if our demands are not met immediately,” he added.