‘Drunk’ law student ploughs SUV into people in Odisha, tries to run over dhaba owner months after fatal crash

A 20-year-old law student ploughed into a group of people at a roadside restaurant (dhaba) in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar on Monday, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, before returning on the wrong side to run over its owner, three months after he was arrested and released on bail for killing a person after ramming his Mercedes-Benz into a motorcycle.

Police inspector Trupti Ranjan Nayak said Soumyaranjan Rath, son of a builder, argued with the restaurant owner, Tapan Das, after arriving there in his subcompact crossover SUV Tata Nexon with his friends around 8am. Rath then got into his car and tried to run over Das and others before speeding away. Nayak said he made a U-turn and drove back towards the restaurant on the wrong side, allegedly attempting to run over Das.

Three people on a motorcycle were injured when the car sped back, police said.

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Rath then hit a man standing beside the road and fled, according to a First Information Report filed by Ratikanta Singh, who was injured. Singh and his wife, Annapurna, were on a motorcycle when they stopped, along with other passers-by, to help the injured man and arrange for his hospitalisation.

Rath rammed into Singh, his wife, and others who had gathered at the spot. He then attempted to turn the vehicle around, but could not, and tried to flee in a bus when people at the scene overpowered him and handed him over to the police.

Police said a medical examination confirmed that Rath had alcohol. Rath was arrested and sent for a medical examination. Police have registered four cases, invoking charges of deliberate attempt to kill. Police said they have started the process for cancelling his driving licence and the vehicle permit.

In July, Rath allegedly rammed his Mercedes-Benz into a motorcycle of Debiprasad Routray, a 37-year-old air-conditioner mechanic, as he was making a U-turn at a traffic signal. Routray was dragged for around 150 to 200 metres and died on the spot.

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Rath was booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s Sections 281, 105 and 106(1) for rash or negligent driving, culpable homicide not amounting to murder and causing death by a rash or negligent act, and under the Motor Vehicles Act section related to drunken driving.

According to the Union road transport and highways ministry data, Odisha’s road accident severity index rose to 49.6 in 2024 from 47.9 in 2023, significantly higher than the national average of 36.3.