At least four persons died while one other sustained multiple injuries after the car in which they were travelling in hit a roadside tree under Dabugaon police limits in Nabarangpur district late Friday night.
As per initial reports, the accident took place when all the five occupants in the car were returning to Nabarangpur from Umerkote last night. Three persons died on the spot while another succumbed to the injuries while undergoing treatment at Koraput hospital. The condition of the other injured person is said to be critical.
The deceased have been identified as MD Sadam, Rabin Hial and Saban Hial of Gaduagada sahi and Ansar Khan.
The exact reason behind the road accident is unclear. However, police suspects that the mishap might have occurred due to overspeeding or poor visibility due to fog.
Sources said that the owner of the ill-fated car had sold it to another person recently. A sticker mentioning 'press' was found pasted on the windshield of the car. However, it is unclear whether any journalist was travelling in the car or not.
“We got information about the accident at around 1 am. Three persons died on the spot,” said Pramod Nayak, a senior police official. Only after a detailed investigation, the exact reason behind the accident can be ascertained, said Nayak.