BHUBANESWAR: Senior photojournalist Ashok Panda died in a road accident while he was on way to Puri to cover Rath Yatra on Friday morning. He was 55. The mishap took place at around 6 am when Panda’s motorcycle reportedly collided with a road divider near Satasankha within Pipili police limits. Personnel of Satasankha outpost, who were standing at a nearby tea stall, rushed to his rescue.
Panda informed the locals and police that he was a journalist. He was rushed to a hospital in Sakhigopal before being referred to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar. However, Panda was declared dead in Capital Hospital at around 7.50 am. He had sustained head injuries in the accident, said police.
Popular in the media fraternity, Panda who hailed from Mayurbhanj district was working with vernacular daily ‘Samaya.’ He is survived by his wife and a daughter. His last rites were performed at Satya Nagar crematorium in presence of family members and several journalists. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled the death. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and senior BJP leader Jay Panda also expressed grief.