Ravenshaw student’s accident death: OHRC seeks report from Police Commissioner

Bhubaneswar: More than two weeks after a Plus III girl student of Ravenshaw University was run over by a speeding truck in front of the varsity campus on September 5, the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) today asked the Twin City Police Commissioner Sudhanshu Sarangi to submit a report in connection with the incident by October-end.

Based on a petition filed by lawyer Sivasankar Mohanty, the rights commission also asked the Police Commissioner to mention in the report whether any time limit has been fixed for entry of heavy vehicles into the twin city of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and its residential areas.

In his complaint, Mohanty alleged that negligence on the part of the traffic police deployed at College Square, Cuttack caused the on-the-spot death of the Plus III student, Annapurna Choudhury who was hit by a speeding truck on September 5. He sought an intervention of the commission into the matter.

The OHRC also lauded the steps taken by the Commissionerate Police, particularly the efforts of DCP (Traffic), Bhubaneswar in sensitizing commuters and pedestrians.

Worth mentioning, Annapurna, a girl student of Economics Department, was riding her scooter in front of the campus at around 1 PM. However, she fell down after being dragged by a passing truck. In no time, the speeding truck ran over her killing her on the spot.

Based on an inquiry report, Cuttack DCP Akhileshwar Singh has already suspended two traffic cops, who were present near the accident spot. Driver and helper the truck were also arrested earlier.