Eight killed, two injured as truck collides with auto-rickshaw in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: At least eight people, including a minor, were killed and two others were injured in a head-on collision between an auto-rickshaw and a truck in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha on Saturday.

The collision took place on Jagatsinghpur-Machhagaon road near Chandol Square in Jagatsinghpur district. The three-wheeler collided with a speeding truck killing seven of them, including a minor girl, on the spot. Of the three injured, one succumbed at SCB medical college and hospital in Cuttack.

The victims ( hailing from Machhagaon) were returning after attending the 'Snana Purnima' ritual ceremony at Nemala in Cuttack district, Inspector in-Charge (IIC) of Jagatsinghpur police station, Rajnikant Mishra said.

• The injured were initially taken to the district headquarters hospital. However, they were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital as their condition is critical.

• The driver of the tipper fled the spot after the accident.

It may be mentioned that the locals staged a road blockade near Chandol demanding adequate compensation for the accident victims.