The driver of the Maruti Ertiga, which rammed into an auto-rickshaw in Subarnapur district on July 12 killing three persons and critically injuring six others, did not have a driving licence, Subarnapur SP Amaresh Kumar Panda said on Thursday.
He said a case has been registered against the driver Ajay Jethi, who has been arrested under the Motor Vehicles Act.
The Maruti Ertiga was owned by Police Inspector Snigdharani Suna, who is posted in Sundargarh district. She was in the car when the accident took place.
Both Snigdharani and Jethi fled from the spot after the accident.The woman cop also switched off her mobile phone. However, both were arrested from Balangir the same day. Snigdharani was on her way to Balangir after Ratha Yatra duty in Puri.
The vehicle was moving on the wrong side of the Balangir-Sonepur NH-57 when it hit the auto-rickshaw near Badabahali Chhak. The SUV also hit a motorcycle.
The auto-rickshaw, ferrying vegetable-vendors, was on its way to Sonepur from Balangir. The traders had stopped at Badabahali Chhak and were talking to a biker when the mishap occurred.