As many as five persons were killed and more than 23 people injured in three separate road accidents that occurred at different places in the State on Friday.
According to information, three persons were killed and two others were seriously injured as an SUV van collided head-on with a truck at Jaraka Road in Jajpur district at around 4.30 pm.
The SUV carrying passengers from 24 Parganas in West Bengal was on its way to Bhubaneswar with a patient for treatment when the mishap occurred.
While three were killed on the spot, the two injured, including a woman, were admitted to a nearby Government hospital. But one of the two was shifted to the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack as his condition deteriorated.
The deceased were identified as Sukesh Saha, his wife Pratima Saha and Sukesh’s friend.
In a similar incident, a passenger was killed and 20 others sustained injuries as a minibus overturned near Tulasipalli on the Bhanjanagar-Dashpalla Road in Ganjam district. The private minibus was on its way from Dashpalla to Brahmapur.
The injured have been admitted to the Bhanjanagar Sub-Divisional Hospital.
In yet another incident, a truck knocked down a bicycle killing a child and injuring the rider in Kendrapada district.
The incident occurred at Maladihi on the Jammu-Marsaghai Road. The injured identified as Bhima Swain was shifted to the SCB Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.
Following the incident, locals staged a road blockade in protest against the incident and demanded compensation to the victim’s family.