Coconut seller killed after being hit by car in Odisha

BERHAMPUR: In a tragic incident, a 50-year-old coconut seller was killed and a flower vendor sustained injuries after being hit by a speeding car near Bijipur Chowk in Berhampur here on Sunday.

The deceased, Basanti Nayak of Bhairavi village was selling coconuts on the roadside near Santoshi Maa temple when the mishap took place. The accused car driver, 39-year-old Santosh Kumar Khadenga, initially fled after the incident but later surrendered before police.

As per sources, Khadenga was on way to Bijipur from Gosaninuagaon in his car when he pressed the accelerator instead of the brake by mistake and hit Nayak and the flower seller. The impact was so severe that after being hit by the car, Nayak’s head got banged against an electric pole nearby leading to her death on the spot.

Soon after, locals rushed the injured flower seller to the city hospital for treatment. He was discharged after being provided first-aid. Meanwhile, Nayak’s body was sent for postmortem.