Two children were killed and more than 10 others injured when a Tata Magic pickup van carrying them to school lost control in the fog and overturned near Asulpur under Mahanga block in Cuttack district early on Wednesday morning.
While one Rajesh Behera, died on the spot, the other, Sanjay Sahoo who was critically injured, died at the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack. The pickup van was carrying the students aged between 5-7 years to the Odisha Brigade Sainik School, a private institution, at Nischintakoili, reports said.
Angry villagers kept the body of a deceased child on the road near the Nischintakoili Community Health Centre (CHC) and blocked the road demanding compensation to the family of the victim. The injured students were shifted to the Nischintakoili CHC.
The school authorities could not be contacted for their opinion as the establishment was locked. Eyewitnesses said the pickup van was overloaded with as many as 19 students packed into it, which is way beyond its capacity. It was speeding when the driver lost control of the vehicle in the fog.