BERHAMPUR: Two persons were killed and another grievously injured after their motorcycle collided head-on with a tanker near Sankarada village within Tikiri police limits in Rayagada district late on Friday night.
The deceased were identified as Maheswar Majhi from Dengaguda village and Odia Majhi from Kupakhala village. Another pillion rider Suresh Majhi of Rafakana village is under treatment at the Oshapada hospital. Both the tanker and the motorcycle were meanwhile gutted in the incident.
Sources said the deceased along with Suresh were on their way to Tikiri when the tanker carrying alumina powder from the Utkal Alumina plant hit their motorcycle. The collision was so severe that the tanker dragged the two-wheeler for over 200 metres leaving Maheswar and Odia dead on the spot and Suresh critically injured. The friction caused due to dragging sparked fire which reportedly gutted both vehicles. The tanker driver who also sustained injuries while alighting from the vehicle after the mishap, reportedly fled the spot.
On being informed, fire services personnel reached the area and put out the blaze. Locals blocked the road on Saturday morning demanding compensation to the deceased’s kin and action against the tanker driver.
The blockade was later lifted after Rayagada SDPO Debajyoti Dash and officials of Utkal Alumina assured the agitators to fulfil their demand.
In another incident, three wagons of a goods train derailed near Ambadola in the Rayagada district on Saturday. Sources said the accident took place on the special tracks connecting Ambadola railway station with Vedanta Limited at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district. However, no one was injured in the incident. On being informed, the railway authorities reached the spot and took stock of the situation.