High-speed terror gripped National Highway-26 on the Saintala stretch after a horrific series collision between a trailer and two trucks left one driver dead and caused total chaos on the busy arterial route.
The tragic mishap unfolded near Nabin Chhak under the jurisdiction of Saintala police station on the Balangir-Kesinga road. According to eyewitnesses and local reports, a heavy-duty trailer travelling from the opposite direction lost control and crashed head-on into two oncoming trucks in rapid succession.
The sheer impact of the multi-vehicle crash threw all three massive vehicles off the tarmac, causing them to veer wildly off the road and overturn into an adjacent agricultural field.
Local commuters and residents rushed to the scene following the deafening crash, only to find the driver of one of the vehicles trapped and fatally injured. The identity of the deceased driver is yet to be established by the authorities. Meanwhile, taking advantage of the initial panic, the drivers and helpers of the other two trucks managed to flee the spot.
Upon receiving emergency alerts, a team from the Saintala Police Station dispatched personnel to the crash site. Cops quickly cordoned off the area, recovered the victim’s body for post-mortem, and initiated a search operation to trace the fleeing crew members.
“An investigation into the crash is underway to determine whether speed, mechanical failure, or driver fatigue led to the initial impact,” confirmed a police official at the site. Highway traffic was temporarily disrupted before police cleared the debris.
