Over 30 including children, women injured as pick-up van overturns in Odisha

More than 30 persons, predominantly women, and children, sustained injuries after a pick-up van turned turtle after the driver lost control of the vehicle near ITI Square in Banspal block of Keonjhar district, on Sunday.

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According to sources, the accident took place when around 50 women and children from Rada village of Baradihi panchayat under Pallahara block of Angul district were en route to Tala Jagara village in Banspal block. The injured were swiftly transported to a hospital in Banspal for treatment.

Amongst the injured, over 10 women and children have suffered grievous injuries and have been moved to Keonjhar District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) for further treatment. On being informed, local police reached the accident site and launched a probe to ascertain the exact reason behind the road mishap.

Worth mentioning, the State is grappling with an unsettling escalation in road accidents which tragically claim the lives of approximately 15 individuals each day.

During a recent session in the Legislative Assembly, Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena revealed this disturbing data: the daily average of road accidents stands at 31, resulting in approximately 27 injuries.

Around 15 persons die every day

Despite the State government's efforts aimed at diminishing these fatal incidents, including various road safety initiatives, experts contend these programmes are largely confined to theoretical plans, limited to reviews and meetings alone.

Must Read: Around 15 persons die every day due to road mishaps: Odisha Minister

Alarming statistics surfaced, showing an average of five accidents every four hours, leading to injuries, with three fatalities occurring nearly every five hours. In the past five years, the State has faced an annual average of 11,366 road accidents, injuring nearly 10,008 people and claiming around 5,433 lives.