People at the accident site and (below) the unmanned level crossing where two people died as a train rammed into their vehicle. Telegraph pictures

Angul, Feb. 12: Two youths died as the vehicle in which they were travelling was run over by the Bhubaneswar-Sambalpur Intercity Express last night at an unmanned level crossing at Laxmidharpur village within the limits Jarapara police station.

The deceased were identified as Nachiketa Sethi, 28, and Dileswar Sahu, 21, of Dubnali village.

Sethi was the manager of a petrol filling station owned by Santosh Naik, who is contesting for the post of panchayat samiti member. Seth was believed to be going for electioneering work in a sports utility vehicle that was being driven by Dileswar.

According to an eye witnesses, as soon as they reached the unmanned level crossing, the Sambalpur-bound train, which was coming on the track, rammed into the vehicle killing the two on the spot.

The ill-fated car was dragged by the speeding train for more than 50 feet from the level crossing.

On hearing the thud of the collision, local villagers reached the spot. The train was detained there for about half an hour before leaving for Sambalpur.

Following the accident, the local residents also demanded compensation from railways for the victims of the families.

“We heard a loud thud at night and rushed to the spot. We saw the vehicle was totally smashed and two youths were lying dead there. We extricated the bodies and informed Jarapara police,” said Sudarshan Sethi, a local villager.

“The train was passing the level crossing at a high speed and the car’s driver could not sense the train was approaching fast,” said assistant sub-inspector of Jarapara police station A.K. Behera.

Local residents said there had been several accidents at the unmanned crossing.

However, despite their repeated plea to railway authorities, no action was taken to make man the level crossing to avoid the recurrence of such mishaps, they said.