Balasore: A 28-year-old youth died in a road accident near National Highway No. 16 at Uttareswar village under Soro police station in Balasore district on Wednesday.
The deceased has been identified as Mohammad Zaid Qadri, a resident of the locality.
According to reports, Qadri was near College Square late Tuesday night with a group of friends when police began patrolling the area after receiving a tip-off about cattle smuggling in a Bolero vehicle. Upon spotting the police van, the youths allegedly attempted to flee the area.
In the process, Qadri, who was riding a Pulsar motorcycle at high speed, collided with the rear of the suspected cattle-laden vehicle near the highway. He died on the spot due to the impact.
Police seized the Bolero along with the cattle, but the driver managed to escape from the scene.
After being alerted, police recovered Qadri’s body and sent it for post-mortem examination at the Soro Community Health Centre (CHC). Both the motorcycle and the vehicle involved in the incident have been seized and a probe into the matter is underway.