At least three persons were killed and five others injured when a car hit an auto-rickshaw on NH-57 near Badabahali Chhak near here on Tuesday morning.
While the injured persons were admitted to a nearby hospital, the identities of the deceased were yet to be ascertained.
The mishap took place when the speeding car hit a bike and the auto-rickshaw, which was ferrying eight vegetable traders, killing three of them on the spot.
Irate locals blocked the road by placing the bodies and demanded compensation for the family members of the deceased. The agitating villagers also demanded immediate arrest of the Police Inspector who was allegedly driving the car.
Meanwhile, Subarnapur SP Amaresh Panda said the car involved in the road also belongs to a woman Police Inspector.
“The mishap occurred at around 6.30 am today on the Balangir-Sonepur National Highway-57 at Badabahali Chhak. The auto-rickshaw was en route to Sonepur from Balangir when a Maruti Ertiga coming from the opposite direction hit it,” Panda said.
“From the skid marks, it is evident that the car was moving on the wrong side and hit the auto-rickshaw. The driver of the car was at fault. Three occupants of the auto-rickshaw died on the spot after the collision while five others were critically injured,” he added.
The SP said the owner of the car bearing registration number OD16J 1355 is Snigdharani Suna, a Police Inspector posted in Sundargarh district.
“The woman Inspector was travelling in the car while her driver was driving. They fled from the spot after the mishap.” Panda assured.
Police later took custody of the Police Inspector and her driver after nabbing them from Balangir.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the death of three persons in the incident and announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia each for kin of deceased and free treatment for those injured.