A devastating head-on collision between a car and an auto-rickshaw near Datapaju village square in Phulbani town turned fatal on Saturday evening, January 17, 2026, around 6:30 PM.
The accident resulted in both vehicles bursting into flames, leading to the death of the auto driver and severe burn injuries to two passengers.
According to reports, the auto-rickshaw was travelling from Phulbani when it collided with the oncoming Suzuki Ertiga car arriving from Boudh district. The impact was so severe that the vehicles caught fire immediately, engulfing them in flames. The auto driver, identified as Barun Mallik from Meniakathi village in Tudipaju panchayat, was trapped inside and burned alive at the scene.
The two passengers in the auto-rickshaw—Babula Malik (20), also from Meniakathi village in Tudipaju, and Sailendra Kanhar from Singapada village in Dadaki panchayat—suffered extensive burns and were left in critical condition. Emergency services, including two fire brigade units from Phulbani, arrived promptly but could not prevent the complete destruction of both vehicles by the fire.
A 108 ambulance team rescued the injured and rushed them to Phulbani District Headquarters Hospital for initial treatment. Due to the severity of their burns, both Babula and Sailendra were later transferred to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur for advanced care.
Police have seized Barun Mallik’s body and sent it for postmortem examination. Authorities suspect that the occupants of the car fled the scene immediately after the crash. The exact cause of the accident remains unclear, and an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances leading to the collision.
This incident highlights ongoing concerns about road safety in the region, where high-speed collisions on narrow roads are not uncommon. Local residents expressed shock over the tragedy, calling for better traffic management and enforcement in the area.
