Balasore: Tension ran high at Bhaskarganj and vehicular movement was disrupted in the area for more than three hours due to protest by local people after a truck mowed down a 61-year-old woman near malgodown area here on Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Sabitri Nayak, a resident of Sweeper Colony in Sahadevkhunta police station area. She was hit by the truck when it was moving on reverse gear. She was rushed to the district headquarters hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

Following her death, hundreds of agitating local residents gathered outside malgodown and attacked the parked vehicles.

They damaged the glass panes and windshields of at least 50 trucks and lorries parked inside the complex. The office of the truck owners' union was also ransacked.

The protesters also blocked the road by burning tyres alleging that the truck was reversing without the assistance of a helper.

Senior district administration and police officers had to rush to the site to bring the situation under control. The district administration also gave Rs 10,000 as an ex-gratia amount to the next of kin of the deceased.

Inspector in charge of Sahadevkhunta police station Jayant Behera said: "The situation has been brought under control and the demonstration was withdrawn after the administration intervened.

The traffic has been restored to normalcy. The driver of the truck that killed the woman is absconding and efforts are on to nab him."