Khuntuni: A man died and eight others were seriously injured in a head-on collision between two cars on NH 55 near Dhabaleswar ITI College Saturday. The deceased was identified as Smrutiranjan Ray Choudhury, 58, of Anand Nagar in Dhenkanal district.
According to sources, Smrutiranjan, his wife Debajani Mohanty, son Soumyaranjan Ray Choudhury and the latter’s friend Sanchit Pradhan, who was driving the car (OD 06 G 9388), were on their way to Bhubaneswar to attend the purification rituals of one their relatives when their car collided with another car (OD 02 AM 9599).
The second vehicle belonged to Brajabandhu Maharana of Kharavel Nagar in Bhubaneswar who along with his family– Swarnalata Maharana, Priyambada Maharana, Alisi Maharana and Manoj Maharana – was on way to Shirdi Sai Ashram in Dhenkanal. They were also injured. Hearing the sound, staff of the IIT College rushed to the spot and informed the Khuntuni police, who reached the spot.
Police shifted the seriously injured to SCB Medical College and Hospital in an ambulance. The doctors at SCB declared Smrutiranjan dead. An unnatural death case was registered. Meanwhile, locals blamed the poor condition of the road for rising mishaps as there are many potholes on NH 55.
One killed, 8 hurt as cars collide head-on
