A speeding pickup van ploughed into a crowd near Rashmi Hall Square in Jagatsinghpur Sadar, injuring four people, including a woman who is in critical condition.
The incident, which occurred on Friday evening, also damaged over four motorcycles and a jewellery shop along the roadside. The injured were rushed to Jagatsinghpur District Headquarters Hospital for treatment.
The driver, reportedly intoxicated and unable to maintain control, was detained by an irate crowd and handed over to the Sadar police. The same vehicle (OD 21 Q 6871) had caused another accident earlier Friday morning at Hata Bazaar, raising concerns about the driver’s reckless behaviour.
The injured have been identified as Prafula Gochhayat and Pari Jena from Makundapur, Sekh Ajiul and his wife Soni Bibi from Ohal village, and Prashant Kumar Sethi from Chandura Pateni village. Authorities are investigating the incident, and the driver is in custody as the police probe the circumstances leading to the crash.