A forest officer died and three others sustained serious injuries after a car collided head-on with a pickup truck near Dengaguda Chhak in Nabarangpur district on November 5.
Gupt Prasad Mohanty, posted at the Jharigaon forest range, was traveling with two colleagues to J. Udaygiri for training when the accident occurred on the Bharatmala highway. The impact killed Mahanti on the spot and left fellow officers Kamakhya Prasad Swain from Umerkote range and Tanuj Kumar Parichha from Jharigaon critically injured. The pickup driver also suffered serious injuries.
Local police reached the scene promptly, recovered the body, and arranged for medical assistance. All injured individuals were admitted to Nabarangpur District Headquarters Hospital. After initial treatment, Swain and Parichha were shifted to Visakhapatnam Medical College due to the severity of their injuries. The pickup driver continues to receive care at the district hospital.
The collision happened while the officers were en route to a scheduled training session. Eyewitnesses reported that both vehicles were traveling at high speed when the crash occurred. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause.
The forest department expressed deep sorrow over the loss of Mohanty and is monitoring the condition of the injured. The incident has raised concerns about road safety on the Bharatmala highway, which sees frequent traffic and heavy vehicle movement.
