Bolangir: Two people were killed Friday afternoon when a tree fell on a moving auto-rickshaw during a thunderstorm near Kasabahal village under Puintala block in Bolangir district. The incident occurred during a Nor’wester storm, which brought strong winds and light rain.
A large neem tree was uprooted and collapsed onto the auto-rickshaw, killing the driver and a passenger instantly. The deceased were identified as Gulam Mustafa Mohammad, 24, from Jhilimunda village near Balikhamar under Tarbha police station in Subarnapur district, and Nadi Nanda, 55, from Tandamunda village under Puintala police limits. According to sources, the storm began at around 4pm with heavy winds and scattered rain. Gulam Mustafa was driving his auto-rickshaw towards Bolangir, and Nadi Nanda, who was travelling to a wedding celebration in Lirkipali from Atgaon, had boarded the vehicle.
At a short distance from Kasabahal bridge, the neem tree fell on the moving vehicle. The impact crushed the vehicle, killing both men on the spot. Fire brigade personnel and police reached the scene, cleared the fallen tree, and recovered the bodies. The bodies were sent to the mortuary at Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital. Puintala police station IIC Anita Pradhan visited the spot and initiated an investigation. Local residents demanded immediate government assistance for the families of the deceased, citing their poor financial condition.
