Couple killed, daughter injured in road accident in Odisha

A couple was killed and their seven-year-old daughter critically injured on Sunday after a speeding truck hit the motorcycle carrying them near Neulpur on NH-16 in Jajpur district, police said.

The incident occurred under the jurisdiction of the Dharmasala police station at 10 am when the couple along with their daughter was heading to their native village from Bhubaneswar.

The deceased persons were identified as Laxmikanta Matia (29) and his wife Manjulata (25), residents of Badadeuri village in Mayurbhanj district, the police said.

The minor girl, Gayatri, who received multiple injuries, was initially rushed to Dharmasala Community Health Centre and later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack as her condition deteriorated.

While Manjulata died on the spot, Laxmikanta succumbed to his injuries on the way to the local hospital, reports said.

The agitated locals staged a road blockade on the NH- 16 disrupting vehicular movement on the Kolkata-Chennai route for hours.

They demanded immediate arrest of the truck driver and compensation for the kin of the deceased.

Police personnel of Dharmasala police station, led by Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) Saroj Kumar Sahu, assured the agitators of taking strict action against the driver following which the road blockade was withdrawn.