In yet another tragic incident, an unmanned level crossing turned a death trap for a family. Five persons died and four were injured when the Sambalpur-Puri Intercity Express rammed into a four-wheeler at Dhalpur unmanned level crossing in Dhenkanal on Wednesday.
Nine persons belonging to a family were travelling in the four-wheeler from Angul to Dhalpur village when the accident took place.
The injured, including a ten-month old baby have been admitted to SCB Medical in Cuttack. The four-wheeler was severely mangled under the impact of the collision.
Irate locals blocked the NH at Dhalpur and also squatted on the tracks demanding compensation for the relatives of the deceased.
They were led by Rajya Sabha member and BJP leader Rudra Narayan Pany.
There was heated exchange of words between irate locals, district administration and railway officials who rushed to the spot to oversee rescue work.
Pany alleged that five train mishaps have taken place at the same spot since 1998 due to unmanned level crossing.
Train services in Dhenkanal-Sambalpur Rail line were badly hit. Demonstration by locals led to short-termination of Rourkela-Bhubaneswar Inter City Express at Meramandali while the Bhubaneswar-Rourkela Inter City Express had to return from Meramandali to Rourkela.
Similarly, Sambalpur-Puri Inter City Express was short-terminated at Dhenkanal and returned as Puri-Sambalpur Inter City Express from Dhenkanal. The Surat-Puri Express has been detained en route.