A tragic road accident in Gunupur, Rayagada district, claimed three lives on Friday night when a scooter lost control and rammed into an electric pole near the Rameshwar Shaivapitha at Shefali Hills.
The victims—auditors Shambhunath Das (50) and Sukumar Bhuyan (40), along with dance teacher and cultural activist Sasmita Panda (33)—were returning from the temple when the scooter’s brakes reportedly failed. Despite rescue efforts and hospital transfers, all three succumbed to their injuries.
Sasmita Panda, known as a beloved dance guru at Kendriya Vidyalaya and chairperson of E-Mart Kala O Sanskruti Kendra, had accompanied the auditors after completing an audit of the centre. Their sudden demise has cast a pall of grief over Gunupur, especially among Panda’s young students and parents.
Police have registered the case and initiated further investigation.
