At least four persons were killed and four others were critically injured as a speeding dumper collided head-on with an auto rickshaw on NH 215 at Tentulipada under the K Bolang police station in Sundargarh district, about sixty km from here, on Saturday.
The auto rickshaw was carrying seven passengers, excluding the driver. The dumper, bearing No OR 23l 7670, was carrying iron ore and was on its way from Koira mining sector to Rourkela.
The auto rickshaw was badly damaged and one of the passengers, identified as Subha Munda (60), died on the spot where as seven others, including the driver, were rushed to the lahunipara Community Health Center on serious conditions.
Within one hour of reaching the CHC, three of them succumbed to their injuries. Rest four, identified as SS Patel (45), Sabitri Kumbhar (50), Parbati Behera (40) and driver Suresh Choudhury (23), were later sent to the Ispat General Hospital as their condition deteriorated.
Hundreds of locals, including the family members of the victim reached the spot and staged a demonstration demanding adequate compensation for the deceased and injured persons.