Speeding SUV triggers multiple collisions in Bhubaneswar, 3 critical; drunken driving under scanner

A late-night road accident near Kalinga Studio Square in Bhubaneswar left the area shaken as a speeding car triggered a series of collisions before crashing into a tree on Saturday night.

According to eyewitnesses, the SUV was heading towards Bharatpur from the Khandagiri side at high speed when it first rammed into an auto-rickshaw and then collided with a motorcycle. Losing balance thereafter, the car veered off course and crashed violently against a roadside tree, leaving it mangled beyond recognition.

Locals rushed to the spot and alerted police. Visuals from the scene show the car in a severely damaged condition, highlighting the intensity of the impact. 

Three occupants of the ill-fated car were rescued by the locals in critical condition, and they were immediately rushed to the Capital Hospital. Later, they were shifted to a private hospital in the city for further treatment, sources said, adding that the driver of the auto rickshaw and the biker also sustained injuries in the mishap.

Sources said liquor bottles, cigarettes, and water bottles were recovered from inside the vehicle, fueling suspicion that the driver may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the mishap.

Fortunately, no deaths have been reported so far, though the condition of the injured remains unconfirmed. 

Also Read: Tuition teacher held for molesting girl student in Odisha's Jajpur

Police have begun an investigation and are probing the possibility of drunken driving. The incident has once again highlighted growing concerns over reckless driving and late-night speeding on Bhubaneswar’s busy roads.