SENAPATI: A bitumen-laden truck overturned on Saturday at Lairouching, below the Army Camp, after allegedly encountering insufficient road space at an ongoing pipeline construction site. The accident left both the driver and his helper injured.
The vehicle, a 22-wheeler trailer (Model 4923) bearing registration number PB 05AP 7766, was carrying 216 drums of bitumen intended for delivery in the Senapati area. According to sources, the mishap occurred at a stretch where pipeline work is being carried out by Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL).
Eyewitnesses at the scene reported that nearly half of the road had been occupied by construction activity, significantly restricting vehicular movement. Concerns have been raised over the absence of basic safety measures at the site, including warning signs, caution indicators, and protective barricades, provisions that are considered mandatory for such operations.
After the accident, workers present at the site reportedly left the area. Some of them allegedly claimed that the driver was under the influence of alcohol and speeding at the time of the incident. However, witnesses at the scene refuted these claims, describing them as misleading.
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Preliminary accounts suggest that the lack of adequate safety arrangements and possible negligence at the work site may have contributed to the accident. Police personnel led by the SDPO of Senapati rushed to the spot and assessed the situation. The injured driver and helper were later shifted to the District Hospital for medical treatment.
A General Diary (GD) entry has been registered at Maram Police Station, and further investigation is underway.