A devastating road accident on the Bhubaneswar-Puri National Highway 316 near the Pipili Tarakaj Flyover Bridge claimed the lives of three young women on Saturday afternoon, around 4 PM.
The victims, identified as Rimjhim Priyadarshini Sahu from Bhubaneswar’s Old Town Barik Sahi, and sisters Elina Das and Kajal Das from Rajkanika, Kendrapara district, were all approximately 20 years old and students at a music college. They were travelling to Puri on a Suzuki scooter to visit the Jagannath Temple when the tragedy occurred.
According to police reports, the woman’s scooter collided with another scooter travelling on the wrong side of the road, causing them to fall onto the right side of the highway. Tragically, the rear wheel of an OSRTC (Odisha State Road Transport Corporation) bus ran over them, resulting in their immediate deaths. The victims were rushed to Pipili Hospital, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.
Pipili police have launched an investigation, reviewing CCTV footage from nearby shops and the Pipili tollgate to identify the OSRTC bus and the other scooter, both of which fled the scene. The police have seized the victims’ bodies for further examination and are actively pursuing leads to apprehend those responsible. The families of the deceased have arrived at Pipili Hospital, grappling with the sudden loss.
In response to the tragedy, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed his condolences and announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh for each victim’s family from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
The incident has sparked renewed concerns about road safety on the busy Bhubaneswar-Puri highway, with local residents calling for stricter traffic enforcement and better infrastructure to prevent such accidents.
Authorities are urging witnesses to come forward with any information that could aid the investigation. The community mourns the loss of three promising young lives, and the incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance on the roads.
