One dead, 16 injured in separate road mishaps in Odisha

One person died and 16 others were injured in two separate road mishaps at Titilagarh and Malkangiri on Tuesday morning.

In the first accident, 15 persons were injured after a pickup truck they were travelling in lost control and overturned near Katarkela in Titilagarh block under Bolangir district this morning.

As per reports, all the injured are from Haladigaon in Titilagarh who were going for a picnic to Gurujimunda in Kalahandi district when the mishap occurred.

Among the injured, two were stated to be critical and shifted to Bhima Bhoi Medical College in Bolangir for treatment.

Speaking to the reporters, Titilagarh SDMO, PK Nayak said, “Fifteen persons have been admitted to the hospital. People with minor injuries have been discharged after primary treatment. Two to three persons are critically injured. They are being shifted to Bolangir Hospital.”

In another mishap, a two-wheeler rider died and the pillion rider was seriously injured after they hit a stationary truck from the rear on the National Highway near MV 35 in Malkangiri district on Tuesday morning.

Sources said, the truck was parked on the side of the NH after it developed a mechanical snag when the bike hit it from behind killing the biker on the spot.

The deceased has been identified as Sujan Biswas of the locality. The injured have been admitted to Malkangiri Hospital for treatment.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Odisha Transport Department is currently observing ‘Zero Fatality Week’ to minimise the loss of lives due to road mishaps.