Kendrapara: A woman and her newborn were killed on the spot while four others, including her husband, sister-in-law and an ASHA, were seriously injured when a truck hit their auto-rickshaw near Khamarapada Chowk on National Highway-5 (A) Saturday, said IIC Debashis Mishra of Kendrapara Town police station.
The deceased were Manini Mallick alias Mama and her newborn girl. The injured were Madan Mallick, the husband of the woman, Lata Mallick, the sister-in-law of the woman, and Shanti Sahu, an ASHA, and the auto-rickshaw driver.
Manini of Teragaon village developed labour pain Friday and was rushed to the district headquarters hospital (DHH) by her husband with the help of her sister-in-law and the ASHA.
Later, Manini gave birth to a girl and was discharged Saturday from the hospital. Madan hired an auto-rickshaw to return to their house.
While they were going to their house in the auto-rickshaw, a truck hit it from the rear. Manini and her newborn died on the spot and the others were seriously injured.
While Lata and Shanti were taken to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Madan and the driver are undergoing treatment at the DHH, said Mishra.
Town police seized the truck, but failed to arrest the driver as he managed to escape. Police sent the body of the mother and her newborn to the DHH for autopsy.
In another accident, an iron ore-laden truck’s driver was injured seriously Saturday after his vehicle, coming from Joda hit the rear of another truck due to a technical snag near Gopa Chowk petrol pump on NH-5 (A).
The injured was identified as Kashinath Mahanta of Chhota Tentuli in Dhenkanal district.
Fire brigade from Kendrapara took the injured driver to the DHH, the police said.
PNN
