Truck overturns on car at Taptapani Ghat in Odisha, driver trapped

A major road accident occurred near Khemundi Khola at Taptapani Ghat in Odisha’s Ganjam district on Monday, where a cashew-laden truck overturned onto a car, trapping the driver inside. According to initial reports, the incident occurred near a roadside Dhaba (eatery) when the truck, travelling from Gajapati towards Berhampur, collided with a car.

Also Read: Two dead as trucks collide head-on on NH 520 in Odisha's Koida

The car was carrying four to five persons, who are said to be friends, and were on their way from Bhubaneswar to visit Taptapani. Following the collision, the truck driver lost balance, and the vehicle fell on top of the car, crushing it partially. While other occupants of the car were rescued safely, the driver remained trapped inside the four-wheeler.

Fire services personnel from the Sanakhemundi locality rushed to the accident spot, and they have been continuing rescue operations to safely extract the trapped driver. The accident caused panic in the area and briefly disrupted traffic movement on the ghat road.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances leading to the fatal collision, while locals assisted emergency teams at the accident site in a rescue operation, which is underway.

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

Worth mentioning, earlier in another incident, a tragic road accident claimed the lives of two truck drivers following a head-on collision on National Highway 520 under K. Balang police limits in Koida, Sundargarh district, on the night of December 26. The road accident occurred between Kundurupur and Jamudi toll gates, disrupting traffic movement on the busy highway for several hours.

An iron ore-laden truck travelling from Koida side had allegedly suffered brake failure and rammed into a coal-laden truck approaching from the Rajamunda side. The impact of the collision was severe, leaving both vehicles badly mangled. Both drivers had sustained fatal injuries and died on the spot.

The exact sequence of events leading to the brake failure has not been officially confirmed yet. However, initial information had indicated that the loss of control of the iron ore-laden truck resulted in the head-on crash.

Reported By: Satyanarayan Padhi