Parjang: Three people were killed and another critically injured in two separate road accidents in the Parjang area of Dhenkanal district, police said Tuesday.
The deceased were identified as Ajit Naik, 19, Anil Naik, 23, and Sunil Sahu, 29.
Sumanta Naik sustained critical injuries in one of the accidents. In the first incident, Ajit, Anil and Sumanta, all residents of Patharkhamba village under Parjang block, were returning home on a motorcycle after watching Laxmi Puja in Dhenkanal town late Monday night when a vehicle struck them near Muktapasi Medical Square on National Highway 53.
The impact dragged their motorcycle about 50 feet.
Ajit and Anil died on the spot, while Sumanta was critically injured.
He was initially admitted to Kamakhyanagar Hospital before being shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Kataka.
Assistant sub-inspector Tiki Gadnayak of Kamakhyanagar police station reached the scene, took custody of the bodies and launched an investigation.
In the second accident, Sunil Sahu, 29, of Ambapalash village, died after being crushed under the wheels of an Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) bus near the Ambapalash cremation ground on the Badakamarapangatira works road around 10 am Tuesday.
The bus driver surrendered at Parjang police station and was detained for questioning, police said.
Sunil’s death triggered protests, with local residents blocking the road and demanding compensation for his family.
Parjang Additional Tehsildar Manoranjan Sahu, Inspector-in-Charge Subrat Kumar Sahu and Assistant Sub-Inspector Jugal Pradhan reached the spot and pacified the protesters.
Authorities announced financial assistance of Rs10,000 from the district Red Cross fund, following which the blockade was lifted.
The bodies of all three deceased were handed over to their families after postmortem examinations.
Two cases have been registered at Kamakhyanagar and Parjang police stations in connection with the accidents.