BERHAMPUR: Three persons including two women were killed and 10 others suffered injuries in a head-on collision between a pickup van and a truck on NH-59 near Boudh-Kandhamal border on Thursday.
The tragic mishap took place at Luising ghat under Kantamal police limits in Boudh district during the wee hours. Police are yet to identify the deceased persons who reportedly hailed from Kuchinda in Sambalpur.
Sources said a pickup van carrying 15 daily wagers was heading towards Baragaon. At Luising ghat, a hyva truck coming from the opposite direction collided with the van. Due to the impact of the crash, the workers in the ill-fated van were thrown off the vehicle and landed on nearby boulders.
On being informed, police along with fire services personnel and BSF jawans reached the spot and rushed the injured workers to Kantamal hospital. However, doctors declared two of them brought dead. As the condition of two other workers was critical, they were later shifted to VIMSAR, Burla. However, one of them succumbed to injuries.
Police said the Hyva truck lost control at a turning on the ghat, leading to the crash. The bodies have been sent for postmortem and efforts are underway to identify the deceased. Both the vehicles have been seized and their drivers detained for questioning.
Meanwhile in Kandhamal district, the driver of a coal-laden truck suffered critical injuries after his vehicle fell off Gedringia ghat on NH-59 under Baliguda police limits late in the night on Wednesday.
Police sources said the truck was heading towards Rayagada from Rairakhol when the mishap took place. It is believed that the driver lost control of the truck following which the vehicle plunged 20 feet down the ghat road.
The driver suffered grievous injuries and was rescued by police. He has been admitted to Baliguda sub-divisional hospital.
