Black Day in Odisha: 14 killed in road accidents within 24 hours

Odisha witnessed a tragic day as at least 14 people lost their lives in fatal road accidents across the State within 24 hours. The alarming rise in road fatalities has once again highlighted concerns over road safety. 

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

One of the most distressing incidents occurred near Tentuli on the national highway (NH-9) in Keonjhar district, where a motorcycle crashed into the rear of a truck. The accident claimed the lives of a father and his son. The deceased has been identified as Md. Noor, who ran a small shop in Tentuli to support his family.

According to sources, Noor was travelling with his wife and son when their bike rammed into the truck from behind. While Noor and his son died in the accident, his wife sustained critical injuries and has been admitted to a hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, a person was killed after a speeding car rammed into an auto-rickshaw in Jatni. The accident occurred at NISER Square, leaving four others critically injured. The injured person was immediately rescued and admitted to a government-run hospital in Khordha town for treatment. Police authorities are investigating the incident.

Several other accidents were also reported across the State. Four people died in Bargarh, three in Sambalpur, two in Sundargarh and one person in Bolangir district.

The series of accidents within a single day has sparked fresh concern about road safety and the need for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations across Odisha.

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

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

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.

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, before March 2025, the State has faced an annual average of 11,366 road accidents, injuring nearly 10,008 people and claiming around 5,433 lives.

Reported By: Pranay Kumar Pani, Niranjan Behera