Odisha: 5 police personnel killed in road accident
What's the story
Five police personnel were killed and three others critically injured when a speeding trailer-truck collided with their PCR van in Jharsuguda, Odisha, early Sunday morning, The Indian Express reported. The accident took place near Adarsh Vidyalaya Jharsuguda under the Sadar police station. The deceased have been identified as APR personnel Kashiram Bhoi and Debadutta Sa, Drill Sub-Inspector Niranjan Kujur, Havildar Lingaraj Dhurua, and Home Guard Bhaktabandhu Mirdha.
Medical response
Condition of 3 policemen critical
The injured officers were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital. However, as two of them started deteriorating, they were shifted to VIMSAR Medical College in Burla and then to a private hospital in Bargarh. Their condition is said to be critical. The driver of the trailer truck also suffered injuries and is undergoing treatment at a Jharsuguda hospital.
Ongoing investigation
Investigation underway
Jharsuguda additional SP Madhusikta Mishra confirmed that a case has been registered and an investigation is underway. Senior police officers have also visited the accident site to assess the situation. The exact sequence of events leading to the collision is still being investigated, with police interrogating the trailer driver involved in this tragic incident.
Accident data
Road accidents in Odisha
According to the Commerce and Transport Department's accident data for 2024, speeding was responsible for 7,269 accidents and 3,846 deaths. Wrong-side driving caused 470 deaths in 1,103 accidents. Drunken driving claimed 317 lives in 838 accidents, while using mobile phones while driving led to 235 deaths in 585 accidents. Jumping red lights resulted in 35 deaths across 88 accidents.
Fatalities
Average deaths per day
Over the past decade, over 47,000 people have died in road accidents in Odisha. On average, 16 people die every day on state roads. This makes Odisha one of the states with high accident severity rates. National and state highways accounted for 55% of all accidents and 56% of fatalities in 2024.