A leisurely trip to the scenic Gudguda Waterfall turned into a heartbreaking tragedy when a pickup vehicle dashed head-on into a motorcycle on the Kusumi Road under Kuchinda police station limits late on Monday evening. Two young men died on the spot, while a third is battling for his life in the hospital.
The victims have been identified as Gagan Patra and Chinmay Thakur, both residents of Bhojpur village. Their companion, Sisir Patra, sustained critical injuries and was immediately rushed to VIMSAR, Burla, for advanced treatment.
The trio had spent the day enjoying the cascading waters of Gudguda waterfall and were returning home when the accident occurred near a petrol pump on the Sambalpur-Kuchinda-Kusumi stretch. Eyewitnesses reported a violent impact that left the motorcycle completely mangled. Police reached the spot quickly, shifted the injured to the hospital, and recovered the bodies.
In a swift response, authorities seized both the pickup vehicle and the motorcycle and registered a case at Kuchinda police station. Further investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the crash, including speed, visibility, and possible mechanical failure.
