Berhampur, Aug 29: In a horrific serial accident reported from Dharakote block of Odisha's Ganjam district today, a speeding truck, reportedly driven by a drunk driver, struck and killed a man before crashing into two houses and a shop.
The deceased has been identified as Basant Parida (48) of Dhaugaon village and the incident took place on NH 59 near Dhaugaon Chhak early this morning.
According to reports, the truck with registration number ODO2AV3366 struck Parida as he was heading out to attend nature’s call in the morning. Shortly after, the vehicle collided with two houses and a nearby shop.
The driver, suspected to be intoxicated, tried to flee after the truck stopped, but villagers who gathered at the scene managed to apprehend him. He reportedly admitted to having consumed an excessive amount of cannabis (bhang), which caused him to lose control of the vehicle.
Upon getting the information, police arrived at the scene and detained accused driver for questioning. The cops also seized the deceased’s body and sent it for postmortem.
Meanwhile, angry locals staged a protest, demanding justice and fair compensation for the deceased's family, as he was the sole breadwinner.
A case has been filed, and the driver is currently being questioned. Further investigation is underway, said the police.
