Couple dead, 3 injured as car rams into stationary truck in Odisha

Jajpur (Odisha), Jul 4 (PTI) A man and his wife were killed, while three others were critically injured, after the car they were travelling in rammed into a stationary truck on NH-16 in Odisha’s Jajpur district on Thursday, police said.

The incident happened in the early hours near a petrol pump on the outskirts of Panikoili Bazar within the limits of Panikoili police station when the car was on its way to Balasore from Cuttack, the police said.

Police suspect the car’s driver possibly lost control of the vehicle and hit the stationary truck from behind.

The deceased, identified as Binod Behari Jena and his wife Sumitra Jena, were residents of the Soro area in the Balasore district.

Immediately after the accident, locals and fire department officials reached the spot to rescue all five occupants of the car, including the driver. A police team also reached the accident spot to join the rescue operation.

The injured were taken to the district headquarters hospital (DHH), where the doctors declared the couple dead, a police officer said.

The remaining three injured persons were later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack after their condition deteriorated..

The police have seized the car and initiated an investigation.