ANGUL: In a tragic mishap, three persons were killed and two others suffered grievous injuries after a speeding car hit an auto-rickshaw at Khandahata chowk under Sadar police limits in Angul district on Saturday.
The deceased were identified as Bansidhar Sethi (62) and his wife Kamala Sethi (55) of Karanda village under Balimi police limits in Dhenkanal district, besides the auto-rickshaw driver Mantu Muduli (30). The injured are Bansidhar’s daughter-in-law Sunita Sethi (30) and grandson Sai Sethi (12).
Police said the mishap took place at around 1 pm. Bansidhar along with his wife, daughter-in-law and grandson came to Angul district headquarters hospital in the morning for medical checkup. In the afternoon, they were returning home in an auto-rickshaw when a speeding car coming from the opposite side collided head-on with the three-wheeler.
The impact was so severe that the auto-rickshaw flipped and was completely crushed under the car before being dragged into a roadside paddy field. Bansidhar, Kamala and the auto-rickshaw driver were killed on the spot.
On being informed by locals, police along with fire services personnel reached the spot and rushed critically-injured Sunita and her son to the local hospital. They were later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack after their condition deteriorated.
Police said the driver and an occupant of the car fled the spot immediately after the accident. The bodies of the deceased were seized for postmortem. A case has been registered in Sadar police station and further investigation is underway.
Sources said an hour after the fatal mishap, a speeding SUV rammed into five bikers at Khandahata chowk, leaving one of them injured. While the SUV driver fled after abandoning his vehicle, the injured motorcyclist was admitted to the hospital. Police have registered a case in connection with the incident.