Jajpur: At least five people, including two women, were killed and seven others injured when an SUV in which they were travelling rammed into a truck in Odisha’s Jajpur district Monday, police said.
The accident took place near Barada Chhak on the Daitary-Paradeep express highway under Jenapur police station limits in Jajpur district.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed grief over the accident and expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased. He also announced an assistance of Rs 4 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) to the next of kin of each deceased.
“Arrangements are being made for the best treatment of those injured in the accident, and the chief minister has wished them a speedy recovery,” a CMO release said.
According to police, 12 people, including three women and two children, were returning home in the vehicle after attending a marriage ceremony in Keonjhar.
The SUV hit a truck from behind. Such was the impact of the collision that the SUV got stuck under the truck, police said.
Five people travelling in the SUV were killed on the spot, while seven others were critically injured.
The injured were admitted to both Dharmasala and Badachana Community Health Centre (CHC) for treatment. Later, all of them were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack after their condition deteriorated.
The police shifted bodies to the local government hospital for postmortem examination.
Hailing from Purusottampur-Sanjaya Nagar village, the victims were returning home after attending a wedding ceremony in Keonjhar, said Nirupama Jena, Inspector in charge of Jenapur police station.
The truck has fled from the scene after the mishap. Police have started an investigation into the incident after registering a case.
The deceased were identified as Kandra Purti, his wife Geeta Purti, Balma Munda, her daughter Malati Munda and Namita Nayak.
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