Kendrapada: Two fish traders were killed and two others sustained serious injuries after the container they were travelling in rammed into a stationary cement-laden truck at Kusunpur Chhak on Kendrapada–Chandabali state highway early on Monday.Police said the truck was parked on the road following a breakdown. The container was heading to the coastal belt to collect shrimps when it hit the truck from behind around 5:30am. Preliminary inquiry suggests that rash driving led to the crash. Both vehicles have been seized.The deceased were identified as Rabindra Jena (35) of Talachua village in Kendrapada and Santanu Jena (37) of Basudevpur in Bhadrak district.Container driver Budhia Sahoo (38) of Nayagarh and Swadhin Das (34) of Basudevpur sustained injuries in the accident. “They have been referred to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack,” Padmalaya Pradhan, the inspector in-charge of Kendrapada (sadar) police station, said.After post-mortem examinations at Kendrapada district headquarters hospital, the two bodies were handed over to the respective families.“Nearby residents rushed to the spot, rescued the injured and retrieved the bodies from the wreckage,” Arikhita Rout, a resident of Kusunpur Chhak, said.Locals alleged illegal parking of heavy vehicles on highways continues to endanger commuters. “Unauthorized parking of trucks on highways has claimed many lives. Despite repeated accidents, the authorities have failed to act against vehicle owners and drivers violating traffic and safety rules,” Rangadhar Jena, a resident, said.
The accident took place at Kusunpur Chhak on Kendrapada–Chandabali state highway
