BETTIAH, Dec. 1 -- At least five people died and eight others were injured after a speeding truck crushed them and rammed into six motorbikes and an e-rickshaw at Dipau Mor near Kotwa in Bihar's East Champaran district on Sunday afternoon. Soon after the accident, a high drama unfolded at Dipau Mor on NH -27, the main artery which connects New Delhi with Kathmandu, after the angry villagers blocked the national highway and torched a vehicle of the national high authority of India (NHAI), creating ruckus for hours. In neighbouring West Champaran, a motorcyclist and his pillion rider died after their motorbike collided with a tree near Manuwapul on outskirts of Bettiah, taking the death toll to seven in Champaran region. Confirming five deaths, Pratyush Kumar Vicky, station house officer (SHO) in East Champaran district district, Kotwa described the situation at Dipau Mor under control. He said all five bodies have been sent for postmortem. "Eight injured people have been admitted to sadar hospital at Motihari for treatment," the station house officer said. Recalling the accident with horror, Vivek Kumar, an eye-witness told media persons the casualties in the incident could have risen further had the four motorcycles been not entwined under the body of the truck, forcing the driver to bring the vehicle to a halt. He said the driver of the truck which was running on a high speed and heading towards Piprakothi from Gopalganj side lost the control over the vehicle while trying to save a motorcyclist at Dipau Mor. "In the melee, the truck rammed into six other motorcycles and an e-rickshaw. You never know how many more lives would have been lost had the four motorcycles not trapped under the truck," said Vivek. For others, it took no time to understand what happened. "The sound of collision and scattering of glasses simply spoke the volume of what had happened. Soon there was nothing but complete chaos, pandemonium which was further punctuated by distress cries. When reached the spot, I saw the multiple people lying on the road," said passerby. Pramod Sah, who was travelling in the e-richshaw said, "I escaped as I was thrown several yard away under the impact of collision. But, I found my brother lying in a pool of blood with his body badly mutilated." Trouble erupted around 12.45pm as news about the accident spread and large number of villagers who gathered around began accusing the authorities of doing nothing to curb the incident of accidents rampant there. "We have been demanding an overbridge but our request have gone unnoticed so far," was the common refrain. However, suddenly a howl of protest rang out after the local police attempted to clear the stretch. Getting into an altercation with Kotwa police, a group of hooligans ran amok and set a NHAI's vehicle on fire on the spot standing on the stretch, disrupting the vehicle movement through the stretch for hours. Finding the situation spinning out of control, reinforcement from Mehsi, Chakia, Chhatauni, Pipra, Dumariaghat and Kalyanpur rushed to support of local Kotwa police, police said. The normalcy returned only after the police team prevailed over the situation and the mob dispersed after police lift the bodies from the spot. The police have initiated an investigation and are searching for the absconding driver....