Rasulpur: In an untoward incident, a local farmer died on the spot as a speeding truck ran over him including three others near a vegetable market at Odanga of Barabati panchayat on national highway (NH-16) under Rasulpur block in Jajpur district early morning Friday.
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The deceased was identified as Amulya Sethi (32), a resident of Prathamkhandi village in the district. The injured are known to be local farmers namely Bibhishana Das (65) of Sarabana village of Singhapur panchayat under Kuakhia police limits and Ashoka Sahoo (23) of Karanjiari village, both in Jajpur district including one vegetable trader Birabara Sahoo (35) of Pingua area in Dhenkanal district.
According to reports, Amulya and a few other farmers were selling their vegetables at roadside near a local market. A speeding goods truck (WB-67 A-3556) en route to Kolkata from Cuttack ran over the farmers, while overtaking another iron rod-laden truck (OR-09 P-5746) at Barabati Chhak which was going from Kuakhia to Jaraka.
Bibhishana and Birabara sustained severe injuries in the accident. Initially, they were rushed to Dharmasala community health centre (CHC) but then both were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital Cuttack as their conditions deteriorated further.
Driver of the truck escaped from the spot soon after the accident. On being informed, local police reached the spot and seized the trucks. Body of the deceased was sent to hospital for postmortem.
PNN