Reported by Malay Ray
Sundargarh, Feb 4:

After frantic efforts, police today arrested the driver and seized the oil tanker which mowed down a 33-year-old youth on Tuesday morning on NH 143 in Odisha’s Sundargarh district.

Lahunipada police forwarded him to court this evening.

The oil tanker had knocked down the bike-borne youth on Bonai Road near Ekalavya Model School at around 11 AM on Tuesday and sped away from the spot. The truck hit him from behind while he was going on his bike towards Lahunipada killing him on the spot.

The deceased was identified as Salman Surin (33), a resident of Jhartagarang under Kalunga in Rourkela.

A search for the unknown vehicle was launched by the Lahunipada police with the help of their Chandiposh counterparts. Today, the oil tanker bearing registration number OD15A-6764 was identified and the driver arrested.

The driver, Guru Charan Malick (45), a native of Niali, Cuttack, was forwarded to court this evening.

During interrogation, he told police that while he was going towards Rourkela from Sambalpur, the accident happened on NH 143 and Salam Surin died on the spot.

"We have seized the oil tanker and have arrested the driver and forwarded him to court," RK Sahoo, IIC, Lahunipada police station said.