BHUBANESWAR: As many as two jawans of the Odisha State Armed Police (OSAP) were killed and 29 injured, some of them seriously, when the van in which they were travelling collided head-on with a speeding truck on NH-49 near Belpahar in Jharsuguda district this morning.
Police identified the deceased as Prashant Behera and Shankar Prasad Panth. Belpahar Police said the two jawans died on the spot. Out of the 29 injured 15 were admitted to MCL Central Hospital at Mandlia in Brajarajnagar and 14 were rushed to the TRL Hospital at Belpahar.
Later seven of the injured were shifted to VSS Institute of Medical Sciences & Research in Burla after their condition deteriorated.
Police said the accident occurred when the Jawans were on their way to Banharpalli deputed for the visit of the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who was to inaugurate two new thermal power generation units of the Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC).
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed his profound grief over the death of the Jawans and conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved families.
Patnaik wished the speedy recovery of the injured and directed that they be provided free treatment.
He announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of each of the deceased Jawans and a government job to a member of the deceased families. Patnaik also announced to provide Rs one lakh to Jawans who became disabled due to the accident.