Car fleeing murder scene plunges 20ft from overbridge

Bhubaneswar: Two families living in shanties under the Sishu Bhawan road overbridge in the city had a miraculous escape when a car, trying to flee a murder scene, fell nearly 20 feet and landed perilously close to their homes, early on Monday.

The vehicle, allegedly being driven by a drunk driver, lost control and rammed into the wall of the overbridge before plunging below. While no casualties were reported, two asbestos-roofed houses were partially damage under the impact.


The car was linked to the murder of Satyabrata Pradhan (30), a driver, who was killed by another man inside a woman’s house in Niladri Vihar over a love triangle. Police identified the killer was Dinesh Kandi, who fled the scene, leaving his employer’s car behind.

Fearing that his car may be impounded for investigation, the car’s owner called up another driver and asked him to drive away with the vehicle, which was when the accident happened.

Police said the driver suffered minor injuries and investigation is underway to confirm whether the car’s owner was inside. The driver and vehicle’s owner, whose identities were not disclosed, were taken to Capital police station for questioning.

“Eyewitnesses claimed the driver was alone, though this is being verified. The circumstances leading to the accident are being investigated,” said Radhakanta Sahoo, inspector in-charge (IIC) of Capital police station.

Recounting the horror, Banga Nayak, whose house was damaged, said, “We were asleep when a loud noise woke us up around 5.30 am. The car fell barely a stone’s throw away from our home. Seven of us were inside. Had it landed on our roof, we would have been crushed.”

His neighbour, Kalyan Bhoi, alleged that the driver was drunk. “We pulled him out of the car. He admitted he was drunk and was driving recklessly. His negligence could have been fatal,” Bhoi said.

Sahadeb Pradhan, another local resident, noted that a tree helped break the fall. “There were two children and three elderly people in the two houses. Fortunately, all are safe,” Pradhan said.

Police and Odisha fire service personnel used a crane to remove the vehicle from the site. Mild tension prevailed when locals resisted the authorities from taking the car away, demanding compensation for the damage to their homes.

“We assured them their grievance would be brought to the govt’s notice, after which the situation calmed down,” another police officer said.

Traffic along the busy stretch was disrupted for nearly two hours as curious onlookers gathered on the overbridge, clicking photos of the accident site. Normalcy was restored only after police dispersed the crowd and cleared the road.