BERHAMPUR: In a deadly crash, six persons were killed and two others sustained critical injuries after their auto-rickshaw was hit by a truck near Chelapadam village along Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border on Wednesday.
The deceased and the injured were residents of Antivalasa village under Komarada in AP. The deceased are Melaka Ammudamma, Hoika Lakshmi, Huika Narsamma, Melaka Venkati and Melaka Sarada. Identity of another victim, who succumbed during treatment at Parvatipuram hospital, is yet to be ascertained.
Sources said eight persons of Antivalasa had gone to Kereda village in an auto-rickshaw to attend a marriage ceremony. On their way back home in the evening, their three-wheeler collided head-on with a speeding truck near Chelapadam. On being informed, Parvatipuram police reached the spot and rushed all the eight critically-injured persons to the local hospital. However, five of them were declared brought dead. Another injured person later succumbed at the hospital.
Meanwhile, Odisha police swung into action after rumour spread in the area claiming that the victims were returning from Rayagada after offering prayers to goddess Majhighariani. IIC of Rayagada’s Seshkhal police station Seema Pradhan said a team of police has rushed to the accident site for investigation.