Bhubaneswar hit-and-run case: Thar owner nabbed from Puri after 45 days; capital punishment demanded

The owner of the Thar, allegedly involved in the fatal hit-and-run at Patrapada in Bhubaneswar on Rakhi Purnima, which claimed the lives of an eight-year-old girl and her mother, has been arrested from Puri, police confirmed. The accused has been identified as Somnath Behera.

The incident, which occurred on August 9, had sparked widespread outrage across Bhubaneswar due to reckless street racing between a Thar and a Scorpio.

After the arrest of Behera, the victim's family appealed for the imposition of capital punishment on the accused.

Fatal Rakhi Purnima Accident

On the night of August 9 this year, a Thar, reportedly racing alongside a Scorpio, struck eight-year-old Reshma Raul, her mother Rebati Raul, and the child’s brother.

While Reshma died on the spot, her mother and brother were critically injured and rushed to AIIMS Bhubaneswar. Rebati succumbed to her injuries days later, raising the death toll to two, while her son continued treatment at a private hospital.

The accident triggered protests and roadblocks in the Patrapada and Phuleshwari areas and a statewide outcry.

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Arrests and Vehicle Seizure

Earlier, police had detained Ankit Sahu, the Scorpio driver, and his associate Krushnachandra Pradhan in connection with the case.

Following a manhunt, the Commissionerate Police arrested Rohan Ranjan Raut, the Scorpio owner and son of a liquor trader from Patia, and his accomplice Soham Raj Tripathy, a private bank manager from Delhi.

The accused had fled first to Manali before hiding in Delhi. Both vehicles involved in the accident were seized, and the driving licenses of the accused were suspended.

Notably, the tragedy drew strong public reaction, with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi announcing financial aid of Rs 8 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, with Rs 4 lakh allocated for each of the deceased.