Two people died, and two others sustained critical injuries after their bike fell off the Ghoda Ghat bridge near Hatisara village in Nuapada last night.
Reports said four friends were returning from Dhanu Yatra in Komna when tragedy struck. After attending the festival at Taraboda, they rode together on a single bike. Near the bridge, they lost balance and plunged into the nala below.
Rescue teams from the Komna Fire Department rushed to the spot after receiving information from local police. They pulled all four victims out of the nala.
Two of the riders, identified as Shubha Hans (19) of Babhaghati village and Harischandra Patel (19) of Hatisara, died at the scene. The other two, also from Babhaghati, sustained severe injuries. Authorities shifted them to Nuapada District Headquarters Hospital for treatment.
Police confirmed that the accident involved overloading on the bike and loss of control near the bridge. After the postmortem, officials handed over the bodies to the families. Komna police initiated further investigation into the circumstances of the accident.
The accident shocked residents of Babhaghati and Hatisara villages. Families mourned the sudden loss of two teenagers while praying for the recovery of the injured. The tragedy highlighted the dangers of unsafe riding practices and the risks of carrying multiple passengers on a single bike.
The Komna police officer, Rashmita Pradhan, stated that inquiries are underway to determine additional factors behind the accident. The community expressed grief and urged young riders to follow safety measures to prevent similar incidents.
