A disturbing hit-and-run incident once again raised deep concerns on Sunday over reckless driving in the Capital City after a speeding truck rammed into an auto-rickshaw and dragged it for nearly 50 to 60 metres on the busy Cuttack-Puri bypass road near Pandara Square in Bhubaneswar.

Also Read: Hit-and-run: Speeding car hits and overturns auto-rickshaw in Bhubaneswar, 2 injured

According to eyewitnesses, the accident occurred when the truck, allegedly moving at high speed, hit the passenger three-wheeler from behind on the National Highway. The impact was so severe that the truck continued dragging the auto-rickshaw for several metres before the vehicle lost balance and veered off the road. The auto eventually crashed into a roadside shop after falling off the highway stretch.

The passenger travelling inside the auto sustained serious injuries in the accident and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Sources said the victim remains under medical supervision due to the severity of the injuries.

The situation turned more chaotic when the truck driver allegedly attempted to flee the accident spot. During the escape, the truck reportedly struck a bike rider as well, causing further panic on the busy road. The biker was also injured and taken for medical care.

The fatal incident triggered anger among local residents and commuters present at the scene. Several people chased the truck over some distance before finally managing to stop it. Enraged locals then caught hold of the driver and allegedly assaulted him for his reckless driving and attempt to escape.

Police later reached the spot and brought the situation under control. An investigation has been initiated into the incident, while authorities are also examining whether negligence, overspeeding, or drunk driving played any role in the accident.

The recurring rise in hit-and-run cases in the State Capital has once again highlighted the urgent need for stricter traffic enforcement and road safety measures on busy highways and bypass roads.

No comments were received from local police or the auto-rickshaw driver in this regard.

“My father was sitting on the chair, and I was inside the house. I heard a loud sound and rushed out. My son, panicked by the sound, ran over here out of fear. I asked, ‘What happened?” By the time I looked, the auto-rickshaw had already crashed into our house after being hit by the truck,” a woman resident said.

“What if it had affected us? How would we be able to live then? We live in the slum; we run a shop, doing small-scale vending. We are afraid for our lives. Someone’s condition is serious, and their leg is broken. We’re hearing now that everyone else has cuts and bruises,” the middle-aged woman stated.

“Who knows if the auto-rickshaw driver was drunk or not, but it seems the driver of that big vehicle (the truck) was drunk or something. People would have beaten him up, but luckily, no one did anything to him,” the resident added.