Protesters burn a tyre during the blockade on Marine Drive on Tuesday. Picture by Bhola Prasad

A woman was killed and her six-year-old granddaughter seriously injured after they were hit by a speeding truck on Marine Drive early on Tuesday with angry residents blocking the road for hours.

Traffic was disrupted on the Kadma-Sonari stretch after word spread about the death of Anita Devi (40), who was returning to her home at Domohani Bustee nearby with her granddaughter after a dip in the Subernarekha river around 7am.

Baby Kumari has been admitted to MGM Medical College Hospital where she is said to be critical.

The truck driver managed to flee with his vehicle using the Adityapur toll bridge.

The subsequent blockade by over 100 local residents meant that a line of trucks were stranded on the busy stretch and blocking traffic for hours.

By the time personnel from Sonari and Kadma police stations arrived at the spot, the driver had fled. With tempers running high, local residents were too distraught to record the number of the truck.

DSP (headquarters-I) Jagdish Prasad also arrived at the spot to persuade the protesters to lift the blockade, promising them that the police would locate the truck. But the protesters refused to budge.

Later, he contacted sub-divisional officer of Dhalbhum Prem Ranjan and arranged for emergency compensation of Rs 10,000 to the victim’s family. The family got the money around 10.30am after which the protesters left.

“Police patrol Marine Drive to check rash driving by heavy vehicles. But unfortunately, when the mishap took place, there was no policeman. Hence, the truck driver managed to flee,” Prasad told The Telegraph.

Sambhunath Sardar, one of the residents who had joined the protest, said ever since the Adityapur toll bridge and Marine Drive were ready, the area had become extremely dangerous due to speeding vehicles, especially trucks.

“We had requested the administration to set up speed-breakers on Marine Drive near residential areas. But, no one paid any heed,” he rued.