The truck that ran over a schoolboy was set ablaze by protesters on Balangir-Titilagarh Road on Thursday morning. Telegraph picture

Balangir, Aug. 22: Vehicular movement on the Balangir-Titilagarh Road on NH-26 was disrupted for over six hours following protests after a schoolboy was run over by a truck here this morning.

The deceased has been identified as Partha Sarathi Mishra, 13, who was a student of Class-VIII at the Kendriya Vidyalaya here.

The truck, which was going towards Titilagarh, hit Partha Sarathi from behind near the All India Radio Station as he was going to his school near Balangir palace. He was first admitted to the district headquarters hospital here. Later, doctors referred him to VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla as his condition deteriorated. He died on his way to VSS.

Angry residents of Sastri Nagar and Palace Line set ablaze the truck. The enraged people also dragged the driver out of the truck and beat him up before police could reach the spot and rescue him. Thousands of people from the town thronged the spot and staged a rock blockade. They didn’t even allow the fire brigade to douse the blazing truck.

Some local people also looted the truck, which was laden with bags of potato. The police had to divert buses and other vehicles to the route via Circuit House Road and Regional Transport Office. “We did our best to control the mob and diverted traffic for the convenience of commuters,” said sub-divisional police officer Narayan Naik.

The accident has once again raised the demand of a bypass road in Balangir. Residents said such accidents had become a regular feature as heavy vehicles passed through congested localities in rush hours. “The town residents demand a bypass road for the heavy vehicles as unwarranted traffic congestion not only inconveniences the common people, but also leads to loss of life and property. The district administration and political leaders of the district should take initiative to start work on the bypass road,” Mishra said.