Sonepur: In a tragic road mishap, as many as five persons were killed while five others sustained grievous injuries after a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and a speeding truck had a head-on-collision on Mahanadi bridge in Subarnapur in the wee hours of Saturday.
The five deceased persons have been identified as Asish Pandia, Pramod Pandia, Siddhi Pandia, Trayambak Meher and Subham Pandia – all were from Nimana village of Subarnapur.
According to an eyewitness, around 10 persons from Nimana village under Ullunda block of the district were on their way back home after attending a wedding reception ceremony at Kaudiamunda. The fatal road mishap occurred at around 1.30 AM, the eyewitness added.
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Driver of an auto-rickshaw, which had gone out of order, had parked his vehicle for repair on the river bridge. While overtaking the auto-rickshaw, the SUV in which the marriage party was returning collided with the truck coming from the opposite direction.
“Five occupants of the ill-fated SUV died on the spot and five others were rescued from the badly damaged vehicle by a team of police and locals by making use of gas cutter,” the eyewitness stated.
Five injured were soon admitted to Subarnapur district headquarters hospital (DHH). Later, they were shifted to Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla after their health conditions deteriorated.
Meanwhile, Sonepur police have registered a case in this connection and launched a probe which is underway. Police have sent the bodies for post-mortem, a senior official in the station informed.
PNN