Two BJP leaders were killed after a dumper hit them in Odisha’s Sambalpur district in the wee hours of Sunday, police said.
The deceased were identified as Debendra Nayak, BJP’s Goshala mandal president and Muralidhar Chhuria, former sarpanch. The two were reportedly close associates of senior BJP leader Nauri Naik.
The accident occurred on NH-53 near the point under Burla police station limits around 1.30 AM. The vehicle was carrying six persons, including the driver back to Kardola from Bhubaneswar when the accident happened.
The emergency services then rushed all six occupants to the nearby hospital, where the doctors declared two of them dead. The remaining four are undergoing treatment for their injuries.
Suresh Chanda, who was travelling by the car said, “The vehicle hit our car from behind twice. Suspecting that it was a deliberate attack, the driver drove away from the highway into a village road near Kantapalli Square. The dumper followed us and again knocked at our vehicle that fell down.” Chanda said, “By mistake, one can hit a vehicle once. Why would he hit us thrice?”
After visiting the injured, former MLA from Rengali Nauri Naik came out smelling a rat in the whole incident. “This was not an accident. Someone deliberately collided with their vehicle three times.”
Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo said the dumper had been seized and its driver detained following the incident. He added that since the family had alleged a deliberate act of mischief, that angle too would be investigated.
