Soro, Feb 11: At least five people were injured, two of them critically, after a car collided with a container on National Highway-16 near Talanagar, under the Soro police limits in Odisha's Balasore district, today.

Reports indicate that the car, with registration number OD 33 AV 9434, was traveling from Kuliana in Baripada to Kakatpur when it crashed into the container near Talanagar. The impact of the collision caused the car to lose control and crash into a roadside shop. Following the accident, the container driver fled the scene.

Among the five people in the car, three sustained injuries, while the driver and one other passenger were left in critical condition. Upon receiving the distress call, National Highway Police quickly arrived at the scene, rescuing the injured and initially transporting them to Soro Hospital. As their condition worsened, all five were subsequently referred to the Balasore District Headquarters Hospital for more advanced treatment.

The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation. Police have launched a search to locate the container and its driver, who abandoned the scene after the crash. Authorities have warned motorists to exercise caution on the busy stretch of National Highway-16 to prevent similar accidents.

The investigation is underway, and further legal action will be taken once the inquiry is completed.