Bhubaneswar: Just over a month after securing bail in the fatal Sastri Nagar Mercedes crash case, a 20-year-old law student was arrested again on Monday for allegedly attempting to mow down three employees of a roadside dhaba in another car.Police identified the accused as Soumya Ranjan Rath. He allegedly tried to run over the eatery workers following a scuffle outside their establishment in Kesura. The exact trigger for the altercation is being investigated.Police said that while attempting to flee the scene, Rath allegedly caused a series of accidents along the Cuttack-Puri bypass, damaging seven motorcycles and injuring three riders. The condition of the injured is said to be stable.“We have arrested Soumya Ranjan Rath on charges of attempt to murder,” Bhubaneswar DCP Saravana Vivek M said.“Rath’s medical examination confirmed that he was driving under the influence of alcohol,” said ACP (Zone IV) Abhimanyu Nayak.This was similar to the July 13 Sastri Nagar incident in which 37-year-old biker Debi Prasad Routray died after being allegedly hit from behind by Rath’s Mercedes. He was granted bail in Aug, about three weeks after his arrest.Police said following a series of accidents, Rath abandoned the vehicle on the bypass and tried to escape by boarding a bus before being caught by local residents.Four separate cases have been registered against him at Badagada police station. One case is based on a complaint filed by the dhaba owner, Tapan Das, while the remaining three were lodged by the injured bikers.Police clarified that the latest incident is distinct from the Sastri Nagar crash case. “While the earlier case involved drunk and rash driving, the latest incident was a deliberate attempt to run over certain persons. We have also seized an identity card bearing the name of a police officer, Tapan Pattnaik, from Rath’s vehicle. We are investigating whether the card is genuine. The RTO has been requested to cancel Rath’s driving licence and the registration of the vehicle, which is registered in the name of a family member,” Nayak said.
About The Author
