Rourkela: Manik Tirkey, a resident of Musabira village, was returning home on his bike after dropping off a relative in Lahunipada when he met with a freak accident near Darjing on NH-143.
The 25-year-old lost his life when his body was severed into two after colliding with a chevron road signage. His father couldn’t believe Manik lost his life in such a horrific manner.
“I am at a loss for words. My son Manik, who was supporting our entire family with his income from a small grocery store, died in such a horrific manner,” said Royan Tirkey (58).
The family, though, is at a loss how the collision could have resulted in such severe consequences and has urged the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to investigate the incident, particularly the sharp-edged iron angle that had allegedly caused the fatal injury. “NHAI must look into this to prevent such tragic incidents in the future,” Royan said.
The incident came to light when local youths identified Manik’s photo circulating on social media and informed his family. Lahunipada police, who had initially struggled to identify the victim, handed over the body to the family after post-mortem on Wednesday. The last rites were performed in the afternoon.
Manik, who had purchased the second-hand motorcycle four months back, was yet to transfer the bike’s ownership in his name. He is survived by his parents and three brothers. The eldest one is unemployed, while the other two are studying.
The family has lost its primary breadwinner, leaving the members to grapple with both emotional trauma and financial uncertainty.