OUAT student death: Sold out vehicle still in name of Sidharth Construction

Bhubaneswar: Following the death of a girl student of Odisha University of Agriculture Technology (OUAT) on Saturday night, the Commissionerate police on Monday night told the media that the ownership of the vehicle, which ran over the student, is still in the name of Sidharth Construction though it was sold out in 2009.

“Though the construction company had sold out the vehicle to former Speaker of Odisha Assembly, Kishore Mohanty, in 2009, the ownership of the vehicle is still in its name,” it added.

Stating that efforts are on to nab the driver of the vehicle, police said a notice has been served on the construction company to furnish details of the concerned vehicle by 10 am tomorrow.

When asked about the incident, the former Speaker said he does not know anything about the matter. The law will take its own course, he added.

Earlier in the day, the Commissionerate Police raided the office of the Siddharth Construction and verified the documents of the vehicle which had run over the girl student.

The agitating OUAT students, who staged a road blockade at Siripur Square on Monday morning, had alleged that police are not taking action against the driver as Siddharth Construction is owned by the kin of BJD MLA Debasish Samantray. Claiming that the case was a not accident, rather a pre-planned murder, they had demanded a fair probe.

The students later withdrew the blockade after the intervention of additional DCP, who assured them of action against the guilty.

A third year MCA student of the varsity, Suchismita Biswal died after being hit by a Tata Safari SUV owned by Siddharth Construction on Siripur-Fire Station road on Saturday night.

Another girl, Pragyna Tiwari, sustained injuries in the accident and is undergoing treatment.

While police later seized the vehicle, the driver fled the spot.