Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed profound grief over the loss of the on-duty personnel and announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh each to the next of kin from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF).
“The tragic road accident in Jharsuguda that claimed the lives of five police personnel is extremely saddening,” the CM’s office stated in a post on X.
ଝାରସୁଗୁଡ଼ାରେ ଘଟିଥିବା ଦୁଃଖଦ ସଡ଼କ ଦୁର୍ଘଟଣାରେ ୫ ଜଣ କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟରତ ପୋଲିସ କର୍ମଚାରୀଙ୍କ ପ୍ରାଣହାନି ଘଟଣା ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦୁଃଖଦାୟକ । ମାନ୍ୟବର ମୁଖ୍ୟମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀ @MohanMOdisha ଏହି ଘଟଣାରେ ଗଭୀର ଦୁଃଖପ୍ରକାଶ କରିବା ସହ ପ୍ରାଣ ହରାଇଥିବା ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକ ପୋଲିସ କର୍ମଚାରୀଙ୍କ ପରିବାରର ନିକଟତମ ଆତ୍ମୀୟଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ମୁଖ୍ୟମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ରିଲିଫ…
— CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) February 22, 2026
In a devastating road accident early Sunday morning, five police personnel lost their lives, and three others sustained critical injuries when their SUV collided head-on with a gravel-laden tipper truck on National Highway 49 in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district.
The incident occurred near the Jharsuguda Sadar Police Station, close to Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya, sending shockwaves through the local community and the state’s law enforcement.
The victims were returning from a colleague’s wedding ceremony in the Rengali area under the Lakhanpur police station when the tragedy struck around dawn.
The police SUV, a Bolero, was mangled beyond recognition in the impact with the speeding truck, which was loaded with stone chips.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as horrific, with locals and fellow officers rushing to extricate the trapped personnel from the wreckage.
The deceased have been identified as armed police reserve constables Kasiram Bhoi and Debendra Sa, havildar Lingaraj Dharua, sub-inspector Niranjan Kujur, and home guard Bhakta Bandhu Mirdha, all in their 40s. They were pronounced dead at the scene, while the three injured officers were admitted to Jharsuguda District Headquarters Hospital, with some later transferred to a private facility in Bargarh for advanced care.
Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police Gundala Reddy Raghavendra confirmed the truck driver has been arrested, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause, including possible factors like speeding or negligence.
Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also extended condolences, praying for the souls of the departed and the speedy recovery of the injured. A guard of honour was accorded to the fallen officers at the district headquarters, as tributes poured in from across the state.
Authorities have seized the truck and are probing the incident, with preliminary reports suggesting the tipper was approaching from the opposite direction at high speed. The bereaved families have demanded a thorough inquiry and enhanced support.
