Baripada: Two women were killed and 40 people injured when the pick-up van they were travelling in skidded on the Kanhoinda-Dhanghera road and turned turtle. The accident took place under Khunta police limits in Mayurbhanj district Thursday. The driver too was critically injured.
The deceased have been identified as Draupadi and Sulochana, wives of Lembu Khandei and Karttik Biswal of Aarand village respectively.
Sources said about 43 villagers including women belonging to Bathudi community from Aarand village under Barhampur police limits in Balasore district were on their way in the pick-up van to Atharadeula mutt in Jadidhar village under Khunta police limits to witness Makar Sankranti festival when the accident occurred. Police are yet to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Local villagers came to the rescue of the injured and also informed the Khunta police and the fire station. By the time police and fire personnel arrived and started rescue operations, Draupadi and Sulochana had succumbed to their injuries. The remaining travellers were rushed to Khunta Community Health Centre (CHC).
After first aid, the injured were shifted to the Udala Government Hospital and Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital in Baripada, informed Kaptipada SDPO Sapneswar Mohapatra.
PNN