Three people were injured, two of them critically, in a devastating road accident that occurred on Sunday along a national highway near Palasa in Srikakulam district. The mishap took place close to the Nemali Narayanapuram bypass when a Toyota Innova carrying pilgrims returning from the Jagannath Temple lost control due to adverse weather. The vehicle was occupied by Mukesh Panigrahi, Amulya Patro, and driver Achyutananda Barada, all residents of Parlakhemundi. Reports indicate that heavy rainfall and strong winds lashed the region during the evening, significantly reducing visibility and making the road surface dangerously slippery for vehicles.
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As per initial accounts, the driver struggled to maintain control of the car amid the intense storm conditions, causing it to veer onto the road divider and cross into the opposite lane. The vehicle then collided head-on with a fast-moving lorry approaching from the other direction. The force of the crash was immense, leaving the car completely wrecked. It reportedly flipped several times before being thrown into nearby agricultural fields. Local residents and passing motorists quickly gathered at the scene, pulling the injured occupants out of the mangled vehicle and informing emergency responders for immediate assistance.
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Following the accident, all three victims were rushed to the Palasa Government Hospital for urgent medical attention. However, due to the seriousness of their injuries, Mukesh Panigrahi and Achyutananda Barada, who sustained severe head trauma and internal injuries, were later transferred to the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences for advanced treatment. Their condition remains critical. Meanwhile, authorities from Kasibugga Police Station have filed a case and initiated a detailed probe. Circle Inspector Y. Ramakrishna stated that preliminary findings point to overspeeding and sudden storm conditions, which may have caused the car to skid or hydroplane, leading to the accident. The lorry driver is currently being questioned.