Bhubaneswar, July 14: A man was killed after a Mercedes-Benz allegedly hit his motorcycle and dragged him for nearly 100 metres at Shastri Nagar Square in Bhubaneswar late on Monday, triggering widespread public outrage.
The deceased has been identified as Debi Prasad Rautray, a resident of Nuasahi in Nayapalli.
Following the accident, police detained a young man and a young woman who were travelling in the luxury car. Both are being questioned by Kharavel Nagar Police as part of the investigation.
The fatal accident sparked tension in the area as enraged locals vandalised the Mercedes and prevented it from being moved. Police personnel struggled for more than two hours to bring the situation under control.
Senior police officials, including the Additional DCP, ACPs of Zone-1 and Zone-5, along with officers-in-charge of four police stations, rushed to the spot and appealed to the protesters to remain calm. However, the situation remained volatile, prompting the deployment of additional police forces.
During the unrest, some protesters allegedly hurled stones at police personnel. Acting swiftly to prevent the situation from escalating further, police towed the damaged Mercedes to the police station.
The victim's body has been sent for post-mortem examination.
A case has been registered on the basis of a complaint filed by the deceased's family members. Kharavel Nagar Police have launched an investigation to ascertain the exact circumstances leading to the fatal crash.