Bhubaneswar: A 12-year-old girl, who was out to buy biscuits for her dad, was run over by a Mo Bus on the Nandankanan-Patia road on Tuesday morning.
Muni Juadi, a Class VI student of Nandankanan Nodal High School, was walking by the side of the road with her bicycle next to her when she was hit by the bus from behind, dragging her for several metres.
Muni, a native of Barpali in Bargarh district, had shifted to Bhubaneswar where her father is employed as a gardener in a house in Raghunathpur area. Sources said the girl sustained fatal head injuries, leading to her death.
“I have lost everything. She was an innocent child. She never harmed anyone. Even if justice is served, my girl will never come back,” said Sabitri Juadi, Muni’s inconsolable mother.
As news of the accident spread, enraged local residents erected bamboo barricades on the road and burnt tyres in protest, demanding appropriate compensation for the victim and her family members.
The road blockade halted traffic movement on the Nandankanan-Patia road for over an hour. Local residents stopped three more Mo Buses travelling on the same route and continued with their protest.
As tension grew, a team from Nandankanan police station reached the spot and pacified the crowd. Though the road blockade was lifted, locals continued with their protest, demanding justice for the victim.
Nrusingh Sethy (33), the accused bus driver, surrendered at the police station. Police have registered a case based on a complaint filed by the girl’s mother.
“We pacified the agitating residents and also gave some money to the victim’s family from the Red Cross fund,” said Ramesh Chandra Bishoi, ACP, Zone VI.
Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), which operates the Mo Buses, also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the victim’s family.
Namita Gadnayak, an agitating local said reckless driving took away a young life. “The traffic was thin in the morning and the bus driver was visibly speeding. This resulted in the tragic incident where the innocent child lost her life,” Namita said.
Jatindra Patanayak, an auto rickshaw driver who joined the protesters, claimed Mo Bus drivers lack proper training. “They abruptly switch lanes causing chaos and confusion. This results in frequent accidents,” he said.