BHUBANESWAR/ANGUL: A patient along with three persons met with a tragic end after their ambulance collided head-on with a gas tanker on NH-55 at Jarapara here on Sunday morning. Three persons also sustained critical injuries in the mishap.
Babul Meher, the 24-year-old patient, had consumed poison and was being shifted from VIMSAR to SCB Medical College and Hospital when the mishap happened. The others were Chandan Meher (22), Gunda Meher (22) and Babulal Suna, the ambulance driver of Burla in Sambalpur.
The injured, Lingaraj Meher (43), Ravi Meher (52), both of Loisinga, and Kulu Patel of Sonepur, were admitted to Angul government hospital in a critical condition.
Police said, the ambulance carrying seven persons including the driver was en route to Cuttack from Burla in Sambalpur.
Near Jarapara bus stand, the vehicle collided with the gas tanker coming from the opposite side. While four died on the spot, three others sustained grievous injuries.
On being informed, police reached the spot and rescued the injured persons. Bodies of the deceased were sent for postmortem.
Sources said Babulal’s body had to be retrieved from the mangled ambulance with help of gas cutters.
Police seized both the ambulance and the gas tanker. The tanker driver absconded after the accident. It is suspected that the ambulance driver lost control of the vehicle after dozing off leading to the mishap. An officer of Jarapara police station said a case has been registered in this connection.