By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
An alert response of a security officer attached with the Nagaland deputy chief minister, and also the in-charge of home, Y Patton, who happened to be in queue of an escort vehicle when a ten wheeled truck (MN01AA 0272) hit a five passengers Eco Van taxi (NL07T 0757) and tried to flee the scene at the NH-29 highway near the ICAR, Kukidolong, Dimapur, but intercepted after a hot chase.
When contacted, a source informed this correspondent that the official escort vehicle with the PSO was returning from Guwahati after dropping Patton and was on way to Kohima while the mishap occurred near the ICAR, Jharnapani.
All the male passengers of the taxi moving towards Kohima were in the age group of 30-40 years when the 10 wheelers truck coming reportedly from the wrong side hit the vehicle killing three on the spot and two succumbed to their injuries later while three seriously injured including the driver being rushed to nearby hospital.
The source also informed that immediately after the mishap, the escort vehicles did a heroic job of chasing the truck and finally could intercept the truck with help of another vehicle (Scorpio).
Meanwhile, a press release issued by the office of the Commissioner of Police, Dimapur, has stated that a telephonic information was received at the traffic control, Chumukedima, at around 10am with regard to the road mishap between an ECO Van and a Tata Truck at Kukidolong area near Jharnapani.
It stated that immediately duty party led by the duty officer rushed to the place of occurrence and on reaching New Chumoukedima area, duty party found that the fleeing driver and the tata truck were intercepted by a team of police escort of the Nagaland deputy chief minister, Y Patton, after a hot chase.
The driver and the truck were taken into custody immediately, after three persons were found dead on the spot while the injured were rushed to CIHSR where two more persons both male succumbed to their injuries.
The other three others injured including the driver of the ECO van are reportedly undergoing treatment at CIHSR.
In this connection a case has been registered and further investigation is being taken up, the press release stated.