7 Bhajan singers died, 5 injured in Odisha road mishap: Police

The van the Bhajan singer were travelling in rammed into a trailer from behind in Odisha’s Sundargarh district early Saturday morning

Published on: Nov 2, 2024, 17:06:42 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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At least seven members of a Bhajan singers’ group were killed and five others sustained grievous injuries after a van they were travelling in rammed into a trailer from behind in Odisha’s Sundargarh district early Saturday morning due to poor visibility caused by foggy weather.

Though the exact reason behind the accident is not established yet, it is suspected that the van driver could not see the trailer due to low visibility caused by fog in the area.

Police said the Bhajan Mandali singers from Kandadhuda and Samarpinda villages of Sundargarh had gone to Chakabahal in Chhattisgarh for a Shraddh ritual in a Maruti van and were being dropped at their homes when the driver rammed into a stationary trailer. Six people died on the spot while another one succumbed to his injuries in a hospital.

“The accident took place between 2am and 2.30am when the Maruti van they were travelling in collided with a stationary trailer on the MCL-Toparia Road. The impact was so severe that seven people, including the driver, died on the spot, while five others suffered severe injuries. The driver had taken the Bhajan Mandali for the Shraddh ceremony of his father. The injured were rushed to a local hospital in Hemagir,” said Brijesh Rai, DIG of southwestern range.

The bodies have been sent for autopsy. The identities of the deceased are yet to be ascertained. Though the exact reason behind the accident is not established yet, it is suspected that the van driver could not see the trailer due to low visibility caused by fog in the area. Following the mishap, angry villagers caused a road blockade, demanding compensation for the kin of the deceased.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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