Tragic! 5-yr-old Odisha schoolboy falls off auto-rickshaw, succumbs

Ganjam: In a tragic accident, a 5-year old student died after falling off a moving auto-rickshaw while going to a school near a temple in Digapahandi area of Ganjam district today.

The deceased has been identified as Ajay Pradhan, a student of a private school in Digapahandi.

According to reports, the schoolboy was travelling in an auto-rickshaw along with 15 other children.

Sources said that Ajay was sitting on the extreme side in the auto-rickshaw, which was overloaded. He fell from the vehicle allegedly after losing his balance near the school. The victim sustained severe injuries on his head in the incident. The locals immediately rushed him to the Community Health Centre, Digapahandi, where he was declared dead.

Following the incident, the irate locals staged a road blockade disrupting the vehicular traffic on Digapahandi-Chikiti Road. They demanded strict action against the auto-rickshaw driver and school authorities for the fatal incident.

As per traffic norms, a maximum of five children aged  below 14 years or not more than three adult passengers can travel in an auto-rickshaw.

The police reached the spot and seized the auto-rickshaw. Till the last report came in, the police were trying to convince the protestors to clear the road blockade.