The accident occurred near Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya under the jurisdiction of the Jharsuguda Sadar police station. Screengrab: ANI
Five police personnel killed in SUV-truck collision on NH-49 in Odisha’s Jharsuguda
Five officers from Jharsuguda district died, and four others were injured after their SUV collided with a truck near Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya in the early hours of Sunday
At least five police personnel were killed and four others injured when the SUV they were travelling in collided head-on with a truck on National Highway 49 in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district in the early hours of Sunday.
Crash near Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya
The accident occurred near Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya under the jurisdiction of the Jharsuguda Sadar police station. Police said eight personnel were returning from a wedding in Jharsuguda when their vehicle crashed into a truck approaching from the opposite direction. The force of the collision left the police SUV completely damaged, its front end crushed. The truck was also damaged in the collision.
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“Five police personnel from Jharsuguda district were killed in the accident, while two were seriously injured and are undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bargarh. Another injured policeman is in stable condition,” Jharsuguda Additional Superintendent of Police Madhusikta Mishra said.
Driver injured, case registered
Elaborating on the incident, Mishra said the truck driver was also injured in the crash and is undergoing treatment. “A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway,” she added.
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According to a report by India Today, the deceased have been identified as APR personnel Kashiram Bhoi and Debadatta Sa, Drill Sub-Inspector Niranjan Kujur, APR Havildar Lingaraj Dhurua, and Home Guard Bhaktabandhu Mirdha. Their deaths have sent shockwaves through the local police establishment in Jharsuguda district.
Probe underway
The report further stated that two other personnel, including two members of the Armed Police Reserve (APR) and a sergeant, sustained serious injuries. They were rushed to the Jharsuguda District Headquarters Hospital by local police immediately after the crash and later shifted for advanced treatment. They are currently undergoing treatment in critical condition.
Police have detained the truck driver for questioning as part of the ongoing probe. Investigators are examining the circumstances that led to the collision on the busy highway. Further details are awaited as the inquiry continues and authorities piece together the sequence of events leading up to the fatal crash.
(With agency inputs)