Bhadrak: Two persons, including a woman, died and four others suffered critical injuries after the SUV in which they were travelling crashed into the rear of a stationary truck at Nalanga on NH16 under Bhadrak Rural police station limits in this district in the wee hours of Tuesday.
One of the deceased was identified as Pampa Parida, 40, wife of Suresh Parida. However, the identity of the other person, the driver of the vehicle, is yet to be ascertained.
The injured persons were identified as Suresh, 53, his two daughters Isika Parida, 21, Deepisikha Parida, 14 and Sampa Chowdhury, 35.
Police said that the six persons from Belgharia locality in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal were travelling to Puri in the ill-fated Scorpio when the accident occurred.
Immediately after the accident, the driver along with the truck fled from the spot.
On being informed, police reached the accident site and rescued the persons inside the car. All six were rushed to the Bhadrak district headquarters hospital where Pampa and the driver were pronounced dead on arrival. The four others were shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack later in the day as their conditions deteriorated.
Locals said that the accident had occurred as the truck was illegally parked on the highway. They added that steps should be taken to seize illegally parked vehicles.
PNN