BALASORE: At least four persons including a woman and her minor son were killed in separate mishaps on NH-16 here on Friday.
In the first incident, Gitarani Pati (42) and her 11-year-old son Sudhansu Sekhar Pati died after a speeding truck ran over them near Nuagaon. Sources said in the afternoon, the mother-son duo was on way to Balasore town on a scooter when they fell down on the road after their two-wheeler skidded. In the meantime, a truck coming from behind ran over them. Both of them were killed instantly.
After the mishap, irate residents of Nuagaon staged protest and blocked the NH for several hours demanding action against the driver and compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the bereaved family.
On being informed, Industrial Estate police rushed to the spot and pacified the agitators. Police said the bodies were sent to Fakir Mohan Medical College and Hospital, Balasore for autopsy. A case has been registered and efforts are underway to trace the truck which sped away after the accident.
In another incident, a bicyclist was killed after being hit by an auto-rickshaw near Rajabandh chowk within Soro police limits. Police identified the deceased as Jagabandhu Barik (52) of Hensaguda village in Soro. Barik suffered grievous injuries in the accident and was rushed to Soro community health centre where he was pronounced dead.
Similarly, an unidentified man was found dead on NH-16 at Phuladi within Sahadevkhunta police limits on Friday morning. It is suspected that the man met with an accident and was killed on Thursday night.
On being informed by locals, police rushed to spot and seized the body for postmortem. A case was registered and efforts are underway to identify the deceased.