Bhubaneswar: A young woman narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt near the Nayapalli flyover in Bhubaneswar last evening as she jumped out of a moving autorickshaw and sustained critical injuries.

According to reports, the woman was travelling in an autorickshaw from Acharya Vihar towards Nayapalli around 7:45 pm when the incident occurred. Instead of taking the service road, the auto driver suddenly sped up the vehicle over the flyover. When the passenger questioned him, a youth sitting inside the auto pressed a cloth over her face in an attempt to overpower her.

Realising that she was being abducted, the woman resisted and managed to push away the attacker. In a desperate bid to save herself, she jumped out of the moving auto. She sustained severe head injuries after falling onto the road and was left bleeding.

Eyewitnesses rushed to her aid and informed her family, who admitted her to a private hospital. Later, after regaining consciousness, she narrated the entire ordeal to her family members.

Meanwhile, the accused auto driver and his accomplice fled the spot. The woman’s family has lodged a complaint at the Nayapalli police station.

Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. CCTV footage from various locations is being examined to identify the culprits.