Police van with 22 cops, returning from Rath Yatra duty, meets with accident in Odisha’s Gajapati

A police van carrying 22 personnel skidded off the road and fell into a roadside ditch near Mandimera-Jangudi under Adaba police limits in Gajapati district this morning. The accident occurred while the team was returning from Rath Yatra duty and heading toward Koraput.

Preliminary reports indicate that the van lost control and rammed into a culvert before veering off the road. The impact caused the vehicle to topple down an embankment. While the cause of the accident is still under investigation, initial suspicion points to driver negligence or fatigue.

Minor Injuries, Major Escape

All 22 police personnel were rescued from the accident site, with only four to five jawans sustaining minor injuries. The injured were promptly treated, and none of the injuries have been reported as serious.

According to local sources, the incident took place during early dawn hours when visibility was low, and the vehicle was descending through a winding stretch of road.

Police Begin Investigation

Adaba police reached the site shortly after the accident and initiated a detailed inquiry. As of the last reports, investigators are examining the van's mechanical condition and seeking eyewitness accounts to determine the exact cause of the crash. The possibility of overspeeding or brake failure is also being considered.

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Mishap In Sonepur

In another incident during Rath Yatra’s concluding ritual, Niladri Bije, a senior civic official, suffered serious injuries in Sonepur district.

Gagan Agrawal, Deputy Chairperson of the Tarbha NAC, reportedly fell under a moving chariot wheel amid dense crowds on Tuesday.

He was swiftly rescued and taken to Bolangir District Headquarters Hospital before being transferred to a private facility in Bargarh for specialised treatment.