Tragic Accident Claims Eight Lives in Keonjhar District
Eight people from two families lost their lives, and twelve others sustained injuries in a devastating road accident in Keonjhar district on Friday morning. The incident occurred when a 14-seater van collided with a stationary truck on NH-20 near Balijodi village, 10km from the Tarini Temple at Ghatagaon. The families, who hailed from Sanakhemundi block in Ganjam district, were en route to the temple to offer prayers when the accident happened.
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According to Keonjhar district collector Ashish Thakare, there were twenty people in the van at the time of the accident. While eight of the injured are receiving treatment at Keonjhar district headquarters hospital, three others have been transferred to SCB Medical College and Hospital. The van’s driver, Chitrasena Gouda, managed to escape with minor injuries and has surrendered to the police.
This unfortunate incident marks the second tragedy to strike the Pradhan family in Ganjam district within a span of six months. In June, twelve members of the family, including ten relatives, died in a bus accident near Digapahandi. On Friday, Gajendra Pradhan’s wife, son, and daughter-in-law were among the victims of the Keonjhar accident.
The families from Podamari and Bataguda had embarked on their journey to visit the Maa Tarini Temple in Ghatagaon. However, their plans were tragically cut short when their van collided with a parked truck near Balijodi. As a result, eight people lost their lives, and twelve others sustained critical injuries.
The Pradhan family has been devastated by these recurring tragedies. Gajendra Pradhan has lost several family members in both accidents, leaving him as the sole surviving member. The Gouda family of Bataguda also suffered heavy losses, with five members among the deceased.
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The Ganjam administration is working closely with the Keonjhar authorities to expedite the postmortems and facilitate the transportation of the bodies back to their respective native places. The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the affected communities, and the entire region mourns the loss of innocent lives in this tragic accident.
