A late-night accident on National Highway 16 in Odisha’s Bhadrak district claimed one life and left six others seriously injured.
The crash occurred near Ranital Bazaar at the Rahanja–Asura junction under Bhadrak Rural Police limits.
Reports said the accident began when a truck collided with a bus parked roadside. Another truck then rammed into the same bus, creating a chain reaction. A pickup van carrying liquor crashed into the truck, worsening the situation.
The pickup van driver remained trapped inside the vehicle for over four hours. Rescue teams from the fire services worked tirelessly before recovering his body. He was declared dead at the scene.
The bus, identified as “Dadhivaban,” was travelling from Kolkata to Bhubaneswar. Six passengers sustained serious injuries. Four were admitted to Bhadrak District Headquarters Hospital, while two were referred to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. Later, all injured passengers were shifted to Cuttack for advanced treatment.
Local residents expressed concern over the frequent accidents at this junction. They urged the National Highways Authority to take immediate steps to improve road safety. The incident has reignited debate about the dangerous conditions along NH-16, where chain-reaction crashes have become increasingly common.
