Two BJP leaders, Devendra Nayak and Muralidhar Chhuria, were killed late Saturday night when a tipper truck allegedly rammed their car multiple times near Sambalpur, Odisha.
The incident, which took place as they were returning from Bhubaneswar with four others, has raised suspicions of foul play. Police sources revealed that the truck first struck the car from the side and again from behind after a gap of 100 metres.
Suresh Chand, who was among those in the car and is undergoing treatment at a private clinic in Sambalpur, said, “The truck first hit our car from the side and later from behind after a gap of 100 metres. We believed this to be intentional and we diverted our car to an interior road from the highway near Kantapalli square. Still, the truck chased our vehicle and hit it again, following which our vehicle overturned,” The Indian Express reported.
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Chand claimed the attack was deliberate, stating, “By mistake one can hit a vehicle once, but not thrice.”
Sambalpur SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo confirmed that police have seized the truck, which was transporting fly ash from a private company, and detained the driver for questioning. A case has been registered based on complaints from the families of the deceased, who suspect a conspiracy.
“We will investigate the matter as per allegations of the family members of the deceased, who suspect there could be a conspiracy. The probe will reveal whether it’s an accident or there was any foul play,” Bhamoo told reporters.