Jharsuguda: At least five police personnel lost their lives and four others sustained injuries in a head-on collision between a sport utility vehicle and a truck on National Highway 49 in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district early Sunday morning, officials said.
The accident occurred near Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya under the jurisdiction of Jharsuguda Sadar police station. According to a senior police officer, eight personnel were returning from a wedding function in Jharsuguda when their vehicle collided with a truck approaching from the opposite direction.
Jharsuguda Additional Superintendent of Police Madhusikta Mishra confirmed that five personnel from the district were killed in the crash. Two of the injured are in critical condition and are undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bargarh, while another injured policeman is reported to be stable.
The truck driver was also injured in the incident and is receiving medical care, she added.
Police said the impact of the collision was severe, leaving the SUV completely mangled. The truck overturned and fell onto its side following the crash. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.
The deceased were identified as Kashiram Bhoi, Debadutta Sha and Lingaraj Dharua of the Armed Police Reserve, drill sub-inspector Niranjan Kujur, and home guard Bhaktabandhu Mirdha. The injured include APR personnel Dubaraj Miriga and Akash Nayak, along with sergeant Rajib Bharsagar.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed grief over the deaths and extended condolences to the families of the victims.
In a post on social media, Majhi said he was deeply saddened by the tragic loss of five dedicated police personnel and prayed for peace for the departed souls as well as the speedy recovery of those injured.
Local MLA Tankadhar Tripathy visited the Jharsuguda hospital, where the bodies have been kept, to pay his respects and meet the bereaved families.
