Bhubaneswar: At least three people, including a young woman, were killed and another critically injured after a speeding truck hit a bike and a scooter on National Highway-16 in Bhubaneswar on Saturday evening, police said.
The accident occurred on the overbridge near the Fire Station square while the victims were travelling from the Rasulgarh side of the city. According to preliminary information, a truck coming from behind rammed into the two-wheelers before speeding away from the spot.
Following the collision, the riders were thrown onto the road, triggering panic among commuters and passers-by. Motorists rushed to help the injured and shifted them to the roadside before fire services and police personnel reached the spot and launched rescue operations.
The injured persons were taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared three of them dead. One person remains under treatment in critical condition. The identities of the deceased had not been established at the time of filing this report.
The incident led to massive traffic congestion on the busy highway stretch as angry locals gathered at the accident site, alleging frequent mishaps on the national highway due to inadequate traffic regulation of heavy vehicles.
Police personnel were deployed to control the situation and pacify the agitated crowd while efforts were initiated to trace the absconding truck driver. An investigation into the incident is underway.
The accident has once again raised concerns over road safety and heavy vehicle movement within the Odisha capital.
