A newly-married couple was among seven members of a marriage party killed in a road accident at lathikata on the outskirts of Rourkela on NH-143 in Sundargarh district early on Tuesday morning. The tragedy took place when a speeding dumper going from Rourkela side hit head on the Innova car carrying the marriage party from the Fretliser Township, which was returning from Brahmapur.
While two persons, including the bride, were killed on the spot, five others, including the bridegroom, died in hospital. The two seriously injured members were first rushed to the Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH), from where they were shifted to the Ispat General Hospital (IGH) where their conditions were stated to be critical.
Of the five others killed, two were identified as sisters of the bride while the other was a minor boy. Cries of wailing rent the air when the news of the mishap reached the bridegroom’s home, which is barely a 10-minute drive from the spot where the accident took place. Members of the groom’s family, who were waiting to welcome the bride, were shattered at the news.
Heartrending scenes were also witnessed at the bride’s home in Brahmapur. Police and a fire bridge teams rushed to the spot and brought out the body of the bride by cutting the car’s door. Efforts were on to trace out the dumper and its driver, who fled the area after the incident.
locals alleged that there have been frequent road accidents in this area. They pointed out that since January till date, 25 people have been killed in accidents on NH-143 and State Highway-10 in Sundargarh district.