NUAPADA : A visit to Vaishno Devi temple in Komna block under Nuapada district turned tragic as 10 persons from neighbouring Mahasamund in Chhattisgarh died on the spot after an MUV collided head-on with a truck near Silda nullah, about four km away from Nuapada town, on NH-353 late on Tuesday night.
Intensity of the collision was so severe that all the 10 occupants of the MUV were killed on the spot.
The deceased are 55-year-old Dinesh Dansana, his 45-year-old wife Chandini, their minor daughter Bharati and son Dharmaraj and another 42-year-old Meghnad Nisad - all from Baldidihi village in Mahasamund, besides Mukesh Agrawal, aged 35 of Ansula; 30-year-old Dharmen Netam, 23-year-old Dileswari Netam, a minor girl Mina Netam and 45-year-old Singh Chhabda - all from Sakra village in the neighbouring State. The deceased Meghnad was the sarpanch of Baldidihi gram panchayat in Mahasamund.
According to reports, the incident took place at around 1.45 am when the puja revellers were returning to their respective villages after offering puja at Vaishno Devi temple in Komna block of the district. Soon after the incident, locals informed police. ASP of Nuapada Mahendra Patel and SDPO Bidyut Panda rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation. Police personnel removed the bodies from the mangled remains of the MUV. The bodies were sent to Nuapada District Headquarter Hospital here for autopsy.
Driver and the cleaner of the truck fled the spot after the incident. Deceased Meghnad’s relative, Ajay Samaria said they had begun their journey on Tuesday morning to witness the on-going Navaratri celebration at the Vaishno Devi temple. Their relatives rushed to the spot after getting information about the mishap.
SDPO Bidyut Panda said the bodies have already been handed over to their families after autopsy. Police have seized the truck and the MUV. He said police are trying to ascertain how the accident occurred. They are also investigating who was driving the MUV.