Bolangir in flame after police van killed a student

Bolangir town of Orissa was once again in fire after the situation went beyond the control of the district administration on Saturday when a police van killed Sakti Prasad Mohanty, a student of SITE (Susree institute of technical education) hitting his motor bike. The incident sparks severe tension in the town as students of the institution took law in their hands started vandalism in the town demanding action against the erring driver of the van.

Sources said Sakti a student of SITE was killed on the road after his bike hit with a police van on Saturday afternoon. He was declared dead when students and local took him to the hospital. The irate students blaming the police responsible for the death of their colleague started scolding the police present in the hospital. The situation turned violent when police resorted to lathi charge on them, sources said. Several students got injured the situation became uncontrolled. Irate students along with locals torched several vehicles including government buses. They also set fire on several trucks passing through the road. Irate mob set fire in the local police station protesting the police action. By evening Bolangir town was in flame. IG (NR) YB Khurania rushed to Bolangir to assess the situation. Police deployed armed forces and proclaimed 144 in the town. "situation has been brought under control and every thing is normal now" Khurania told on Sunday.

But violence spread to other part of the region with the death of yet another student Sashikanta Panda while under treatment in VSS medical College hospital on the following day (Sunday). He was admitted in the hospital after sustaining serious injuries with police lathi charge. The death of the Sashi fueled the anger of the students.

The student congress and university students blocked the road in front of the Hospital alleging the death due to negligence of the treating doctor. They demanded compensation and action against the senior officials of Bolangir district to intensify the situation. "There was no negligence on the part of Doctors. he was given all type of treatment soon he was admitted on Sunday Morning. But unfortunately he died in the after-noon" , superintendent of VSS Hospital Dr. Gunasagar Dash told.

On the other hand Government declared for a judicial probe into the incident and a compensation of Rs. 5 lakhs to the family of deceased students in order to pacify the issue. But not withstanding with the decision the Government, congress (student wing) gives call to bandh western Orissa on Monday. "Government has declared to give Rs.5 lakhs to the family of the deceased student and to conduct judicial probe into the incident. so I do not see any reason to give bandh call", collector (Sambalpur) P K Patnaik told

It may be recalled that such a situation was occurred in Bolangir when a police van killed a local pedestrian in the town in last February. Than also the town was in flame.

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