Sambalpur: At least three persons were killed and five others were critically injured following an auto-rickshaw-truck head-on collision on NH-49 near Tabalakata Chhak in the Kuchinda area of Odisha’s Sambalpur district this afternoon.
The deceased have been identified as Atish Nayak, the auto-rickshaw driver, Saraswati Pangi and Tanuja Panigrahi.
The tragic road mishap took place when an oil tanker truck hit the three-wheeler, which was going towards Kuchinda with eight persons onboard, had a head-on collision.
All the injured persons were rescued and admitted to the Kuchinda Hospital for treatment.
Irate over the loss of lives, some locals blocked the portion of the National Highway. They demanded adequate compensation for the kin of the deceased and the victims and the arrest of the truck driver, who fled from the spot after the mishap.
Meanwhile, the local police have started an investigation into the matter.
Ms Kalinga