A devastating road accident occurred this afternoon near Khandahata bridge under Angul Sadar police limits, claiming three lives and leaving three others critically injured.
The collision involved an autorickshaw and a speeding SUV (OD 19 K 0997) from Narasinghpur, which rammed into the auto (OR 06 H 8309) carrying a family returning from Angul District Headquarters Hospital. The impact was so severe that the SUV mounted the autorickshaw and veered off into a roadside field.
The deceased have been identified as Banshidhara Sethi, his wife Kamala Sethi, and autorickshaw driver Mantu Muduli. The injured include Sunita Sethi (30), her son Shree Sai Sethi (12), and SUV owner Bishwajit Jena. All victims were rushed to Angul District Headquarters Hospital, with the critically injured later shifted to SCB Medical College in Cuttack.
According to sources, Banshidhara had visited the hospital for treatment and was returning to Karanda village after lunch at his daughter-in-law’s parental home in Turang. The family was en route to their village when the accident occurred.
The SUV driver fled the scene and remains untraced. Fire Services and Angul Sadar Police responded promptly, recovering the victims and launching an investigation. The tragic news drew a large crowd from the victims’ village to the hospital, mourning the loss of their loved ones.
