Two killed in Bihar accident; blockade, arson follow

Two persons were killed when a truck rammed into the rear side of an auto-rickshaw in the district today, following which a mob blocked the road and set fire to two vehicles, including a police jeep.

The mishap took place in Khushkibagh locality of this town and two occupants of the autorickshaw died on the spot, Purnea Superintendent of Police Vishal Sharma said.

The truck sped away after the collision which left two others injured, who were hospitalised.

However, a crowd assembled on the road, blocked vehicular traffic and clashed with the policemen who tried to remove the bodies, Sharma said adding that the mob also set fire to an SUV and a police jeep.

"We rushed to the spot with personnel drawn from various police stations. After a few hours, we managed to bring the situation under control," the SP told PTI.

"The mob also attacked mediapersons who were covering the blockade. Some of them complained that their cameras were damaged and some others have provided us with footage of the arson. We are studying the footage to identify the culprits who would be arrested soon," Sharma said.