Bhubaneswar: The hoarding that crashed on Tuesday evening at Aiginia in Bhubaneswar during a thunderstorm and led to the death of two people was installed illegally, said Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Chanchal Rana.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the hoarding had been installed illegally by a private agency. BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana said the hoarding was put up without valid permission and termed it illegal. He informed that an FIR would be lodged and the matter would be reported to the police for necessary action.

The Commissioner also said that steps are being taken to provide financial assistance to the families of the deceased from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The Revenue Divisional Commissioner will also be informed to facilitate additional compensation.

The deceased have been identified as Tuna Gouda and Sachitananda Pradhan. Both were rushed to a nearby hospital after the mishap, but were declared dead by doctors. A woman, Mausumi Nayak, who was also present at the spot, sustained injuries in the incident.

According to reports, the three had taken shelter under trees to escape the sudden rain and gusty winds. They were unaware of the danger posed by a massive hoarding installed behind them. As the storm intensified, the structure collapsed, trapping them underneath.