JAGATSINGHPUR: At least 21 Bol Bam devotees, including six women, sustained injuries after the pickup van in which they were travelling crashed into a roadside under-construction market complex at Kotakana Chowk on Cuttack-Paradip State Highway under Tirtol police limits on Monday.
As per sources, the devotees, all belonging to Fethpur village under Kujang police limits, had gone to the Ladu Baba temple at Saranakula in Nayagarh district to offer holy water to Lord Shiva on the occasion of Shravan Somvar on the day.
After completing the rituals, they started their return journey in the pickup van. However, just when the vehicle reached Kotakana Chowk, the driver allegedly became drowsy and lost control of the vehicle, crashing it into the market complex.
Residents then rushed to the spot and rushed the injured devotees to Manijanga community health centre (CHC). On being informed, Tirtol police reached the spot and launched an investigation.
As per police, all 21 occupants of the vehicle including the driver sustained injuries. While five of them sustained minor injuries and were discharged after preliminary treatment, nine others are still under treatment at Manijanga CHC.
Meanwhile, seven other devotees, including three women aged between 25 and 40 years, were later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for advanced treatment, said police.
Tirtol IIC Bansidhar Pradhan said the pickup van has been seized. “The driver, who also sustained injuries in the accident, has been shifted to SCB MCH. Investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the incident,” he added.