Sonepur: In a tragic mishap, three persons were killed and another sustained critical injuries after being hit by a pick-up van while having tea at a roadside stall in Odisha’s Sonepur district on Thursday.
As per preliminary information, the accident took place near Metakani Chhak on Sambalpur-Sonepur road.
Locals said the mishap occurred when the victims were having tea in a roadside stall. The speeding pickup van ran over four people, killing three of them and leaving one critically injured.
The deceased have been identified as Raja Kumbhar of Ainlachhat village, Debananda Surujal, and Sushant Sahu of Matikhai village. Karan Kumbhar of Ainlachhat village, who suffered severe injuries, was initially treated at Ulunda Health Centre and later shifted to VIMSAR at Burla for further treatment.
Eyewitnesses said that the pickup van, travelling from Sonepur, hit them at high speed and fled the scene. Locals rushed the victims to the hospital, where three were pronounced dead by doctors.
On being informed, a police team visited the site and launched an investigation. Efforts are on to apprehend the driver of the pickup van.
