Two women were crushed to death under the wheels of a speeding truck while five others suffered serious injuries on National Highway75 under Karaikela police station of West Singhbhum district today, the police said.
An irate mob put up a blockade on the highway protesting against the incident and demanded arrest of the driver and adequate compensation to the victims' family.
The blockade was on even as senior district officials rushed to the spot to pursue the protesters to withdraw it and assured them to look into their demands.
The Police said the incident occurred when the victims were having food on the road side after sowing seeds in the field this afternoon.
A speeding truck on its way to Chakradharpur on the Chakradharpur-Ranchi road lost control, crushed the victims and fell in the field. The driver of the vehicle managed to flee the spot, the police said adding, the victims were identified as Kado Nayak (35) and Narmada Nayak (34).
The injured were rushed to nearby primary health centre, where doctors referred two critically injured to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science, Ranchi and three others to the Sub-divisional Hospital in Chakradharpur.
