BERHAMPUR: At least 22 people, mostly kids, suffered injuries after the overloaded auto-rickshaw in which they were travelling hit a roadside tree and turned turtle near Chedanai village under Badagada police limits in Ganjam district on Monday.
All the injured persons belong to Gobindapur in Mohana area of Gajapati district. Police sources said 24 people belonging to four families of Gobindapur hired an auto-rickshaw to attend a family feast at Badagada village. The passengers comprised eight men, five women, nine kids and two infants.
On way to Gobindapur, the driver of the three-wheeler lost control at a turning near Chedanai village due to overloading. The vehicle rammed into a roadside tree and overturned, resulting in injuries to 22 passengers. Luckily, the two infants travelling in the auto-rickshaw escaped unhurt.
Locals rescued the injured passengers and rushed them to Badagada hospital. Later, 12 of them including the auto-rickshaw driver were shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital at Berhampur as their condition deteriorated.
Police seized the mangled auto-rickshaw and have launched an investigation into the incident.