Bhubaneswar: A late-night collision in Odisha’s Sambalpur district claimed the lives of a 35-year-old auto-rickshaw driver and his five-year-old daughter.
The deceased have been identified as Surendra Behera, a resident of Dhanupali, and his daughter, Shubhashree Behera.
According to sources, the accident took place when Surendra stopped near a shop near Shankara Mutt Chhak under Dhanupali police limits while returning home with his daughter in his electric auto-rickshaw. The auto was first hit by a speeding SUV, following which a cement mixer truck rammed into it, almost crushing the smaller vehicle. The SUV fell into a nearby pond after the collision.
The critically injured father and daughter were rescued from the wreckage and rushed them to the district headquarters hospital. The five-year-old was declared dead on arrival, Surendra, fighting for his life, was subsequently shifted to Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla and later to a nearby private hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment this morning.
Dhanupali police have launched an investigation and launched a manhunt to track down and apprehend the absconding driver.
