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Fresh Trouble After Fatal Mercedes Crash (Img: X / Pinterest)
Odisha: A 20 year old , law student has been arrested in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar after allegedly driving his SUV into several people at a roadside eatery and attempting to run over its owner. The incident occurred on Monday morning, months after the student was arrested and released on bail in connection with a fatal road accident.
Police said a medical examination detected alcohol in the student’s system. Four cases have been registered in connection with the latest incident, with investigators invoking charges related to an alleged attempt to kill.
According to police inspector Trupti Ranjan Nayak, the accused, Soumyaranjan Rath arrived at the roadside restaurant with his friends in a Tata Nexon around 8 am. Rath, who is the son of a builder allegedly got into an argument with the dhaba owner, Tapan Das.
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Police said Rath subsequently entered his vehicle and attempted to drive into Das and other people present at the restaurant before speeding away.
He allegedly made a U-turn and returned towards the eatery while driving on the wrong side of the road, apparently attempting to hit Das again.
According to the report , Singh and his wife, Annapurna, were travelling on a motorcycle when they stopped with other passers-by to help the injured man and arrange medical assistance.
The accused allegedly rammed his SUV into Singh, his wife and others who had gathered at the spot. He then attempted to turn the vehicle around but was reportedly unable to do so.
Police said Rath tried to escape in a bus but people at the scene caught him and handed him over to the authorities.
Following his arrest, Rath was taken for a medical examination which confirmed the presence of alcohol in his system, police said. Authorities have also initiated proceedings to cancel his driving licence and the vehicle permit.
The latest incident has drawn attention to an earlier fatal crash allegedly involving Rath in July.
Police said he had rammed his Mercedes-Benz into a motorcycle ridden by Debiprasad Routray, a 37-year-old air-conditioner mechanic, while making a U-turn at a traffic signal.
Routray was reportedly dragged for approximately 150 to 200 metres and died at the scene. Rath was booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita including Sections 281, 105 and 106(1) as well as the Motor Vehicles Act provisions relating to drunken driving.
The incident has renewed concerns over road safety and alleged reckless driving in Odisha. According to data from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the state’s road accident severity index increased from 47.9 in 2023 to 49.6 in 2024.
The figure was substantially higher than the national average of 2024, highlighting the continuing challenge of reducing fatalities on the state’s roads.
