Car plunges 20ft off bridge after hitting scooter on NH-18 in Odisha’s Baripada, 2 critical

A fatal road mishap near Budhikhamari Square on the national highway (NH-18) passing through Baripada town left two critically injured after a car rammed into a scooter and plunged nearly 20feet below the bridge in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.

Also Read: Auto-rickshaw carrying schoolchildren overturns in Odisha’s Jajpur, 5 injured

According to sources, the car was travelling from Baripada towards Balasore on Monday when it hit the scooter carrying a man and his six-year-old daughter. The impact of the collision was so massive that it threw both the scooter rider and the child off the vehicle, causing them to fall beneath the bridge. Moments later, driver of the car also lost control of the vehicle, and it crashed down from the bridge.

Local residents rushed to the spot and carried out a rescue operation. The injured were immediately shifted to Baripada Medical College and Hospital in an 108-ambulance. As health condition of the scooter rider is said to be critical, he was later referred to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for advanced treatment.

The incident caused panic in the locality and has once again raised serious concerns over speeding and road safety on national highways passing through urban zones.

However, no comments were received from either local police or the victims in this regard.

Worth mentioning, earlier in another incident, an auto-rickshaw carrying schoolchildren had overturned on January 6 near Balada locality, close to Mangalpur under Dasarathpur police limits in Jajpur district. The incident had occurred while the three-wheeler was returning with students on board from a local school.