Balangir: A pall of gloom descended on the campus of Government Ayurvedic College in Odisha’s Balangir on Monday as the students awaited to bid farewell to a first year student, who died in an accident two days ago.

According to sources, the student, identified as Simran Sadangi, was critically injured after being hit by a speeding motorcycle while crossing the road in front of the college on Saturday. She was initially admitted to Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital in Balangir and later shifted to a private hospital in Bargarh for advanced treatment. However, she succumbed to her injuries at around 3 this morning.

As the college community gathered on the campus awaiting the arrival of her mortal remains, grief turned to calls for action. Fellow students demanded installation of barricades and speed breakers along this stretch of the VIP road, leading to the Circuit House, to prevent similar accidents. They also staged a dharma in front of the main gate of the institution and blocked the road, while seeking adequate financial compensation for the bereaved family.

Meanwhile, police have detained the biker and are probing the circumstances leading to the accident.