Balasore, July 7: In a tragic road mishap on Monday, an Anganwadi worker lost her life and a man sustained injuries after a bus rammed into the motorcycle they were riding in Khantapada area of Odisha’s Balasore district.
The deceased has been identified as Kuntala Pradhan (42), an Anganwadi worker from Patrasahi, and the injured as Arjuna Patra, a teacher at Pandua UG Upper Primary School.
As per reports, the mishap took place on National Highway 16 near Panapana under Khantapada police limits when the duo, working as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) from Oupada block, were returning home after attending an election training session at Nilgiri Degree College.
While they were on their way, a passenger bus allegedly struck their motorcycle from behind near Panapana Chhak. The collision led to Kuntala’s death on the spot, while Arjuna sustained injuries.
Following the mishap, the bus fled from the scene. However, local people acted swiftly and followed it before intercepting near Begunia.
Angered by the incident, especially given the poor road conditions attributed to ongoing development work by a private agency, locals staged a protest by blocking the highway from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, demanding compensation for the victim’s family.
Upon getting the information, Khantapada Police reached the spot and managed to pacify the agitators. The cops seized the body of the deceased and sent it to a nearby hospital for post-mortem.
They also detained the bus driver for questioning in connection with the mishap.
Further investigation into the matter was underway.
