As many as ten persons, including women and children, were killed and 25 others sustained critical injuries when a mini-truck by which they were travelling skidded off the Bangadadua Ghat into a deep gorge near Brahmanigaon in Kandhamal district on Tuesday.
Sources said the mishap took place in the morning when the mini-truck carrying over 40 passengers was en route to Brahmanigaon from Kalingi. The driver suddenly lost control over the vehicle, following which the truck plunged into the 40-feet-deep gorge.
Locals rescued the injured trapped inside the mangled mini-truck. Police and Fire Services personnel rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to hospitals.
While six persons died on the spot, four others succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment at the MKCG Medical College Hospital in Brahmapur.
The injured persons had been admitted to the Brahmanigaon hospital and the MKCG Hospital.
Reports said the death toll was likely to increase as the conditions of some injured persons were stated to be very critical.
Transport Minister Nrusingha Sahu said that despite several awareness programmes, people are flouting the traffic rules. They are travelling in vehicles which are meant for transportation of goods. But action would be taken against guilty after he gets a probe report on the incident.