Bhubaneswar: Five youths were killed in a tragic road accident after the car they were travelling in plunged into a roadside pond while returning from a wedding ceremony in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district during the early hours of Thursday.
According to police, the victims had attended a friend’s wedding in Indipur village on Wednesday night and were on their way home when the accident occurred near Chhatia village.
The deceased have been identified as Rama Sahoo, Abinash Sahoo, Rakesh Sahoo, Chandrakanta Swain, all residents of Bangursingh village under Motanga police limits, and Abhijit Sahoo of Chainpurpatana village under Dhenkanal Sadar police limits.
Driver loses control at sharp turn; five trapped inside submerged car
Police said seven friends were travelling in the car when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a sharp turn near Chhatia village.
The vehicle veered off the road and fell into a roadside pond.
While two occupants managed to escape from the submerged vehicle, five others remained trapped inside and could not be rescued in time.
Local residents and members of the groom’s party rushed to the spot and rescued the two survivors before alerting the police.
Police launch rescue operation, investigation underway
Police teams reached the accident site soon after receiving information and launched a rescue operation.
The bodies of the five victims were recovered from the pond and shifted to the Dhenkanal District Headquarters Hospital for post-mortem examination.
A case has been registered, and police have initiated an investigation to determine the exact circumstances that led to the accident.
Three more killed in separate road accident in Kendujhar
In another fatal road accident in Odisha, three persons, including a married couple, lost their lives in the Champua area of Kendujhar district late Wednesday night.
According to police, Trilochan Apat was being taken to a nearby hospital after falling ill when the driver allegedly lost control of the car, causing it to crash into a roadside tree.
Trilochan, his wife and brother died in the accident, while his son sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at a hospital.
The two accidents have once again highlighted concerns over road safety in the state.