Our Reporter
Dimapur, July 2 (EMN): At least five persons were killed and three seriously injured when a truck hit a regional taxi (Ecco van) on the national highway at New Chumoukedima (Kukidolong area) near Jharnapani on Saturday.
The incident happened at around 10 am when the Kohima-bound regional taxi was hit by a truck, which was coming down from Imphal. The truck driver fled from the scene before the police arrived.
DCP Traffic Dimapur, Jatila Jamir, told Eastern Mirror that three persons (all male) died on the spot and two persons, also male, succumbed to their injuries at Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR) in Dimapur. Three other persons (all male), including the driver, are further undergoing treatment at CIHSR.
The driver and the truck are under police custody, she informed. The accident happened under Chumoukedima Traffic Control.
Commissioner of Police, Dimapur, Rothihu Tetseo, updated that on reaching the new Chumoukedima area, the duty party found that the fleeing driver and the truck were intercepted by a team of police escort of the state Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton after a hot pursuit.
He said that a case has been registered and further investigation is being taken up.
The escort team of the Dy.CM was on their way to Kohima after dropping Patton at Guwahati.
The team, comprising 20 personnel, was travelling in two Scorpio vehicles and one Gypsy when the incident occurred, it was informed.