Berhampur: Road communication between Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district and Berhampur in Ganjam district was disrupted for several hours on Friday following a road blockade by villagers at Jodi Pathara under Gajapati district’s Mohana police limits after electrocution of a 28-year-old man.
Krushna Dalabehera, a labourer and resident of Jodi Pathara, was going to work towards Chandiput on his bicycle early in the morning when he allegedly came in contact with a live wire that was lying on the road after snapping from the pole. He might have come in contact with the live wire due to the dense fog engulfing the area and died on the spot, his family members alleged.
His family members, along with the villagers, staged a blockade on NH-326A immediately and demanded compensation of Rs 10 lakh and a job for family members of the deceased. The road blockade continued from 8 am to 2 pm, despite the block development officer, tehsildar, and police trying to convince them.
Chakradhar Padhi, tehsildar (Mohana), said the villagers called off their agitation after they were provided Rs 10,000 and Rs 3,000 from the district Red Cross and Harish Chandra Sahayata Yojana. They were also assured that a recommendation would be made to the power distribution company to pay Rs 4 lakh as compensation, he said.
Police said they registered an unnatural death case and started a probe. “The cause of snapping of the live wire is under investigation,” said an engineer of the power distribution company.