A devastating road accident occurred early Saturday morning near the Banpur overbridge on National Highway-16 in Khurda district, claiming the life of one person and injuring five others.
The incident involved a motorcycle and three buses, resulting in a chaotic pile-up and widespread concern over highway safety.
The deceased has been identified as Shubham Jyoti Prahraj, a resident of Nimikheta village under Balugaon police limits. He was riding pillion on a motorcycle when the vehicle collided with a bus that had come to a sudden stop to avoid hitting cattle lying on the road. The motorcycle was then rear-ended by a second bus, which was subsequently struck by a third bus traveling from Visakhapatnam to Kolkata.
Shubham died on the spot due to the impact. The motorcycle rider sustained critical injuries and was rushed to a hospital in Bhubaneswar. Among the five others injured were two passengers, a co-driver, and a helper, all of whom are receiving treatment at the Balugaon Community Health Centre (CHC).
Following the accident, the drivers of all three buses reportedly fled the scene. Banpur police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident. Authorities are also reviewing traffic management protocols on NH-16, which has seen a rise in accidents due to sudden obstructions and reckless driving.
