Miraculous Escape for Bhubaneswar Families as Car Plunges 20 Feet Near Homes
In a terrifying incident that unfolded in the early hours of Monday, two families residing in makeshift shanties beneath the Sishu Bhawan road overbridge in Bhubaneswar experienced a miraculous escape. A car, allegedly driven by an intoxicated individual attempting to flee a murder scene, careened off the overbridge and fell nearly 20 feet, landing perilously close to their dwellings.
Chain of Events: From Murder to Near-Fatal Accident
The vehicle's dramatic descent was the culmination of a violent chain of events. Earlier, Satyabrata Pradhan, a 30-year-old driver, was fatally attacked by another man, identified as Dinesh Kandi, inside a woman's residence in Niladri Vihar. The altercation reportedly stemmed from a love triangle. Kandi fled the murder scene, abandoning his employer's car at the location.
Fearing police investigation and potential vehicle impoundment, the car's owner contacted another driver and instructed him to remove the car from the area. It was during this attempted getaway that the driver lost control, crashed into the overbridge wall, and plummeted to the ground below.
Narrow Avoidance of Catastrophe
While the driver sustained only minor injuries, the real danger was to the families living below. The impact partially damaged two asbestos-roofed houses. Eyewitnesses and residents recounted the harrowing moments with palpable relief.
"We were all asleep when a deafening noise jolted us awake around 5:30 AM," said Banga Nayak, whose home was damaged. "The car landed just a stone's throw away from our house. Seven of us were inside at the time. Had it crashed directly onto our roof, we would have been crushed without a doubt."
His neighbor, Kalyan Bhoi, was among those who rushed to assist. "We managed to pull the driver out of the wreckage," Bhoi stated. "He openly admitted to being drunk and driving recklessly. His sheer negligence could have resulted in multiple fatalities."
Another local, Sahadeb Pradhan, highlighted a crucial factor in mitigating the disaster. "A tree helped break the car's fall," he noted. "There were two children and three elderly individuals in those two houses. By some grace, everyone emerged unharmed."
Police Investigation and Public Response
Authorities swiftly responded to the scene. Radhakanta Sahoo, Inspector In-Charge of the Capital Police Station, confirmed that the driver and the vehicle's owner, whose identities remain undisclosed, were taken in for questioning. "Eyewitness accounts suggest the driver was alone, but we are verifying all details," Sahoo said. "The exact circumstances leading to the accident are under thorough investigation."
The Odisha Fire Service deployed a crane to remove the mangled vehicle, a process that sparked temporary tension. Locals, demanding compensation for the damage to their homes, initially resisted the authorities' efforts to tow the car away.
"We assured the residents that their grievances would be formally brought to the government's attention," explained another police officer. "Following this assurance, the situation was de-escalated and normalcy restored."
The accident caused significant disruption along the busy stretch, with traffic halted for nearly two hours as curious onlookers gathered on the overbridge to photograph the scene. Police eventually dispersed the crowd and cleared the roadway.
The investigation continues to piece together the full sequence of events, from the initial murder to the dramatic accident, underscoring a night of violence and narrowly averted tragedy in the Odisha capital.
