Gunupur: Three people, including an Odissi dance instructor, died after the scooter they were riding allegedly suffered brake failure and crashed into an electricity pole while they were returning from the Rameswar Shaivite shrine at Shefali Hills in Rayagada district late Friday.
The deceased were identified as Sasmita Panda, 35, a native of Bhadrak district who worked as a contractual dance instructor at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Gunupur; Shambhunath Das, 50, of Kendrapada district; and Sukumar Bhuyan, 40, of Kolkata.
According to police, Sham bhunath and Sukumar had come to Gunupur to conduct an audit of the Bharatiya Kala O Sanskruti Dance Research Centre, a private dance insti tution run by Sasmita. The three reportedly visited the Rameswar Shaivite shrine atop Shefali Hills on a scooter Friday evening. While returning, the scooter allegedly developed a brake failure while descending the hill.
The vehicle went out of control and rammed into an electricity pole at the foothill, throwing all three riders onto the road and leaving them critically injured.
Fire and emergency services personnel, along with a 108 ambulance, rescued the injured and shifted them to the Gunupur Sub-Divisional Hospital. Shambhunath was declared dead while undergoing treatment at the hospital. Sasmita was later referred to Paralakhemundi Medical College and Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. Sukumar, who was shifted to Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment, later succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
Sasmita was well known in the area for training children in classical dance through her Bharatiya Kala O Sanskruti Dance Research Centre. Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the accident.
