ANGUL: A pall of gloom descended on Kulei village after three local youths were killed in a road mishap on NH-55 at Santarapur Chowk here on Sunday. The deceased were identified as Tipu Pradhan, Sunil Sahoo and Manas Behera, all aged between 25 and 30 years. The accident took place at around 3.30 pm.
Sources said the three youths were returning to their village on a motorcycle when a vegetable-laden pickup van coming from the opposite direction rammed into them. While the trio was killed instantly, the van driver fled the spot. Following the mishap, tension flared up at Santarapur Chowk as locals staged road blockade demanding speed breakers and compensation to the deceased’s family.
On being informed, Angul SDPO RK Mahalik and a team rushed to the spot and pacified the agitators. The road blockade was lifted at 6.30 pm following which the bodies were sent to the hospital for postmortem. Police have launched a search for the absconding pickup van driver.