Bhubaneswar, May 22 (IANS) In an unfortunate development, as many as six persons, including two minor girls, lost their lives in a tragic road accident in the Purusottampur area of Odisha’s Ganjam district on Friday.

As per reports, an auto-rickshaw carrying 10 members of a family from Erandra village under Golanthara police station limits in Ganjam district was on its way to attend a Mundan ceremony at Maa Singhasini Temple in the Polasara area of the same district on Friday morning.

Meanwhile, the auto-rickshaw met with a head-on collision with a bus at Ladakapalli village under Purusottampur police limits.

Upon being informed, fire services personnel, with the help of locals, rescued the injured persons and rushed them to the nearby Community Health Centre at Kodala, where doctors declared six of them dead.

The deceased persons also include two minor girls. Doctors at the CHC later referred four seriously injured persons to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur, as their conditions deteriorated.

The deceased persons were identified as Malli Behera, 75; Narasingh Behera, 43; Lilabati Behera, 45; Ratani Behera, 46; and the two minors, Sani and Kiran Behera.

A pall of gloom descended over the area after the tragic incident. Police have initiated an investigation into the matter after seizing the vehicle and detaining the driver of the bus involved in the accident.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has expressed deep grief over the tragic road accident in the Purusottampur area of Ganjam district.

Taking to his X handle, the Chief Minister conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) for the next of kin of every deceased victim.

He also directed officials to ensure proper medical treatment for those injured in the accident and wished them a speedy recovery.

–IANS

gyan/uk