Patna: Two artists of a cultural tableau group were killed and six others injured when an autorickshaw collided head-on with a truck on the Siwan-Chhapra main road under Pachrukhi police station area early Sunday.The victims were identified as Arya Kumari from Pipraich in Gorakhpur district, Uttar Pradesh, and Sumit Kumar, 20, from Vaidyanathpur Mathiya. Both regularly participated in cultural events.The accident occurred near a fuel station when the auto, carrying members of the group from Pipraich, was returning after a program in Ekma, Saran district. According to the driver, a truck was parked on the roadside without proper indicators. While attempting to manoeuvre, the auto was hit by another speeding truck from the opposite direction. The impact severely damaged the vehicle and injured all occupants.The injured include Golu Kashyap, Sandeep Kumar, Balwant Pandey, Hiralal Chaudhary, Madhu Kumari, Suraj Kumar and Janvi Pandey, along with the driver.Locals and fuel station staff rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to Sadar hospital with police assistance. Two victims were declared dead while two others in critical condition were referred to Patna.Pachrukhi SHO Pramod Kumar said police reached the spot after receiving information via Dial 112 around 2.30am. “Preliminary investigation points to negligence, with truck driver fled the scene after the collision. Police have initiated a search for the absconding driver. Based on the complaint from the victims’ families, a case will be registered against the unknown truck driver, and further legal action will be taken,” he said.
