Ganjam road accident: 17 injured as Pickup van plunges 10 feet

At least 17 people were injured after a pickup van plunged from a height of around 10 feet in Ganjam district on Sunday.

The accident occurred near Jarau village when the vehicle, carrying a large number of passengers, reportedly lost control and fell off the road. Of the injured, nine persons sustained critical injuries, while the others suffered minor injuries.

The injured include five women and three children. According to sources, around 25 to 27 people were travelling in the pickup van from Sorada to Khariguda to attend a religious programme when the accident took place.

Local residents rushed to the spot immediately after the incident and assisted in rescuing the injured passengers. The victims were first taken to Bargarh Medical for treatment. However, due to the serious condition of some of the injured, they were later referred to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur for advanced medical care.

Sources said the driver of the pickup van fled the scene following the accident.

Police reached the spot soon after being informed and launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident. Further details are awaited.

The incident has once again raised concerns over frequent road accidents in the area and the unsafe practice of carrying large numbers of passengers in pickup vans.