Koksara: Six persons were killed and four sustained critical injuries after an iron-laden truck overturned at Amapani ghat on the fringes of this block in Kalahandi district Saturday.
The deceased were identified as Laba Sarabu (60) of Kaudola village under this police limits, Lavanya Majhi (45) of Majhiguda village, Ram Jani (55) and his wife Bal Jani (50) of Chhatabanduguda village under Maidalpur police limits in Nabarangpur district and two unidentified persons, Amapani police said.
The injured were identified as Rudra Satnami (45) and Tirtha Naik (15) of Kaudola village under this police limits, Chaitu Jani of Chhataguda village and Malati Majhi (45) under Maidalpur police limits in Nabarangpur district.
The ill-fated truck was identified as belonging to Bunty Agarwal, a trader. The iron sheets were being transported to Maidalpur in Nabarangpur district for use in road works.
Thousands of residents from Amapani and Maidalpur rushed to the spot and helped Amapani police and fire personnel rescue the injured persons trapped in the vehicle and admitted them to Koksara hospital.
The mishap sparked mild tension among people due to late arrival of Amapani police and fire service personnel. They however relented after Koksara BDO Raghunath Mundari intervened.
The doctors at Koksara hospital administered them primary treatment and shifted injured Chaitu, Malati and Tirtha to the district headquarters hospital in Bhawanipatna.
Chief district medical officer Dr Braja Kishore Brahma reached the Koksara hospital and supervised the treatment of the injured. Amapani police registered a case in this connection and sent the bodies for post-mortem.
The mishap occurred when over 10 persons from Kalahandi and Nabarangpur districts were returning home boarding the carriage of the truck after purchasing provisions from Amapani weekly market.
The vehicle was moving on the Amapani ghat when the driver lost balance over the wheels and overturned. As a result, six persons died on the spot while four were rendered critical.
A pall of gloom descended on the area as cries of the victim’s kin rent the air. People assembling at the spot identified four of the deceased. PNN