The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the State Chief Secretary and sought an action-taken report (ATR) within four weeks over the tragic road accident at Ranital in Bhadrak, in which five students died and four others were injured.
Acting on a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the commission passed the order. On July 19, 2018, in a tragic incident, five students were killed while four others suffered critical injuries after they were run over by a truck near Rahanja on National Highway-16 in Bhadrak. The incident occurred around 4 pm when the students were returning from school.
As the school is located close to the NH, the students reportedly used to cross the busy junction by risking their lives daily. Four girl students were killed on the spot while another student died while undergoing treatment at the hospital. There is no proper signage even if the school students cross the road regularly. There is no regular check of speed limits. There are no speed breakers along the NH, Tripathy alleged.
He further pointed out that Bhadrak district has no traffic signal system and no separate traffic wing in its police station. Few traffic personnel and inadequate infrastructure for them without proper frame work is another reason behind such tragic incident. Payment of meagre ex-gratia for the loss of human lives is merely an eyewash.
Citing a plea filed by him before NHRC, Tripathy reiterated the fact that in India many State Governments, including the Odisha Government distributes cycles for school students free of cost without caring for their safety. Road safety and ensuring rights of cyclists is a State subject. The Centre and the State Governments should promptly act over serious issue, Tripathy pointed out in his petition.