Bhubaneswar: A day after the under-construction flyover collapsed near Bomikhal here killing one person and leaving 12 injured, the owner of the firm, Pratap Panda was arrested after surrendering before the DCP. Besides, OHRC has sought report from Works secretary and the Police Commissioner on the flyover collapse within 15 days.
Earlier today, the Commissionerate Police had arrested Deputy Executive Engineer Bansidhar Praharaj after registering a case against him and four others including three top officials of Panda Infra, the construction company which undertook the works of the bridge.
Assistant Engineer Kishore Rout is on the run and haunt is on to nab him, Commissioner YB Khurania said at a press meet.
A case has been registered managing director of the company Pratap Kishore Panda, director Sujata Panda, Santosh Kumar Panda under sections 284, 304, 337, 338 and 34 of IPC, he added.
The registered office of the company at Vivekananda Marg here was also sealed by police.
On the other hand, political blame game has begun over poor quality of work that led to the mishap.
BJP MLA Pradeep Purohit targeted BJD leader and former Law Minister Arun Sahoo and sought clarification from CM.
Also Read: Flyover collapse rocks Assembly, adjourned till 3 PM
“The construction was undertaken under the influence of Arun Sahoo. CM should clarify whether he has invested in the work. Moreover, Panda Infra was black-listed by the State government following allegations of sub-standard work. Later, it got a degree from High Court. But, the government didn’t challenge the order in Supreme Court,” Purohit said.
Party spokesperson Golak Nayak also tweeted the former minister has invested in the construction of bridge with Panda Infra.
Similarly, his party colleague Prithviraj Harichandan too pointed fingers at Sahoo without naming him. Terming the mishap as man-made, he said through a tweet that a former BJD minister has close relationship with the contractor.
“Bomikhal incident is man-made. The Contractor is Partner of BJD Ex Minister. Delayed project by 3yrs.Substandard design & work,” he tweeted.
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