BHAWANIPATNA : At least four persons died and two others sustained serious injuries in a major accident at Phurlijharan ghat here on Wednesday. Sources said, the accident occurred after a truck carrying a JCB machine overturned on an autorickshaw after hitting a bus and two SUVs.
While the three deceased are Sasmita Nahajal, autorickshaw driver Shankar Hans and Pravati Kanda of Bhawanipatna, the fourth is yet to be identified. The two injured were admitted to Bhawanipatna Government Hospital.
Sources said six persons were returning to Bhawanipatna in the autorickshaw after a picnic, when the accident occurred. The truck carrying the JCB machine lost control and hit a bus and two SUVs parked near the road at Phurlijharan ghat, 15 km from here. The machine fell on the autorickshaw killing three picnickers on the spot.
Locals and other picnickers present near the spot rescued them and rushed them to Bhawanipatna Government Hospital where one injured died in the evening. Another injured was shifted to VIMSAR, Burla in a critical condition.