Two people were killed on the spot after a speeding truck rammed a pickup vehicle from behind near Khadda Toll Plaza in Rewa district in the early hours of Wednesday.

The incident occurred around 3 am when the pickup, returning from Sidhi after unloading liquor crates, was hit by an uncontrolled truck. The impact was so severe that the pickup veered off the road and crashed into a pole, leaving the vehicle badly mangled.

The deceased have been identified as pickup driver Chandan Dubey, a resident of Padra, and Rajesh Rawat from Rasiya Mohalla. Another person, Lala Rawat, who was sleeping in the rear of the vehicle, survived unhurt.

Local residents informed the police, who reached the spot immediately. The bodies were sent for postmortem. Preliminary investigation suggests the truck was speeding and the driver was negligent. The truck driver fled the scene after the accident and a search is on to trace him.

Such accidents on the busy Rewa-Sidhi highway have been reported frequently, with locals demanding stricter enforcement of speed limits and better road safety measures, especially near toll plazas.

Police have registered a case and further investigation is underway.