Bhadrak: Tension prevailed in Khedarpur village under Pirahat police station limits in Bhadrak district on Sunday following the death of a youth in a train collision, which sparked protests and a blockade of railway tracks by local residents.
The deceased has been identified as Abhimanyu Behera, a resident of Kandaragadia village under Sahapur panchayat in Tihidi block of Bhadrak district.
According to reports, the mishap occurred when Abhimanyu was crossing the level crossing on the Bhadrak–Dhamara railway line between Gurudaspur and Tihidi. It is alleged that the gate was open at the time of crossing. Before he could move to safety, he was hit by an oncoming train and dragged for nearly 100 metres, resulting in his death on the spot.
Alleging gross negligence by the authorities, villagers claimed that the personnel deployed at the level crossing failed to operate the gate in time, leading to the fatal accident. They demanded strict action against those responsible, adequate compensation for the bereaved family, and the establishment of a permanent safety mechanism at the crossing to prevent such incidents in the future.
Soon after the incident, irate locals assembled at the spot and blocked the railway track, disrupting train movement. They also staged demonstrations raising slogans against railway authorities and set parts of the level crossing structure on fire.
Tyres were also torched, leading to disruption of vehicular movement on the Bhadrak–Chandbali highway near Pirahat market.
On being informed, police rushed to the spot and took steps to control the situation. A team led by the Chandbali Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), along with the Inspectors-in-Charge (IICs) of Pirahat and Tihidi police stations, reached the area and initiated dialogue with the agitating locals to restore normalcy.
