Eight killed, 12 injured in accident in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: At least eight people were killed and 12 others injured when a pick-up van they were travelling in overturned near Murtahandi in Odisha’s Koraput district on Sunday.

Police officials said that around 20 people were on their way to Chhatisgarh’s Bastar when the pick-up van overturned on NH-326.

Koraput SP Varun Guntupalli said the deceased were yet to be identified. “At least 12 others with serious head injuries have been rushed to hospitals in Jagdalpur and local hospitals. All of them are critical. Death toll may rise further,” he said.

Locals in the area said the pick-up van was carrying more people than its capacity and many were standing when the vehicle toppled over.

In a similar accident, four labourers were injured when the pick-up van they were travelling in toppled over after hitting a wild boar in Kanika forest under Hemagir police station of Sundargarh district. At least 16 labourers were travelling in that pick-up van.