Kalahandi: Five members of a family including two children were killed while the domestic help and another member suffered critical injuries after the car they were travelling in was hit by a truck near Jaring forest in Bhawanipatna area of Kalahandi late last night.
Three among the deceased have been identified as Ashutosh Behera of Khurselguda village under Junagarh Tehsil in the district, his brother Jagannath Behera, son Vicky Behera and daughter-in-law Nivia Behera. The two kids have been identified as the granddaughters of Ashutosh, who was reportedly a known preacher of the district.
Nivia and the domestic help, who received fatal injuries in the mishap, have been admitted to Bhawanipatna Hospital and stated to be in a critical condition.
“Ashutosh along with his brother, son, daughter-in-law, two granddaughters and a domestic help had gone to Visakhapatnam for medical treatment. After reaching at Kesinga Railway Station from Visakhapatnam at around 2.30 am, the family members left for their village in a car when the truck, coming from the opposite direction rammed into their vehicle near Jaring,” informed a relative of Ashutosh, Jayanarayan Babu.
Though all the injured were rushed to nearby Junagarh Hospital with the help of police and locals, doctors declared Ashutosh and Jagannath brought dead. Later, Vicky and the two kids who received grievous injuries in the mishap were referred to Bhawanipatna Hospital but they succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment.
Meanwhile, a pall of gloom has descended in their native village- Khurselguda.