[caption id="attachment_101896" align="alignnone" width="560"]
The scene of accident caught in a mobile phone from distance.[/caption]
Kohima, March 7: Vehicular traffic along National Highway-39 between Kohima and Dimapur was brought to a standstill for hours on Tuesday evening after a speeding truck toppled over a smaller vehicle, a Mahindra Bolero, at a sharp curve near the Kohima Orphanage and Destitute Home at around 4.30 pm. However, no casualty was reported.
According to Kohima traffic police, the driver of the truck had immediately fled from the scene while the occupants of the Bolero, a male officer of the Directorate of Information & Public Relations (DIPR) and his wife, were said to have miraculously escaped with minor injuries. They have been admitted to NHAK for observation, it was informed. Traffic police said the truck, bearing registration number AS-01EC-9271, was loaded with ‘empty bottles’ and was headed towards Dimapur when the incident happened. It has been learnt that the top of the Bolero was completely crushed and the DIPR officer who was driving, was trapped inside for some time. An excavator was brought in to lift the truck and only then, rescuers managed to pull him out.
Eye-witnesses claimed the truck was over-loaded and was speeding beyond limit, but authorities could not rule out mechanical failure. However, they did not wish to comment until the truck, as well as the driver were examined properly.
The mangled Bolero was reported to have been towed from the site only after 8 pm following which, the traffic flow regained.
