Bhubaneswar: A tragic accident occurred on Monday evening at Press Chowk in Gajapati Nagar when a speeding SUV lost control, ramming into multiple vehicles before crashing into a roadside tea stall. Two men were killed and three others sustained critical injuries.
Victims Identified
The deceased have been identified as Santosh Behera, an electrician, and J Ekka, husband of a senior government official. The injured were initially taken to a private hospital and later transferred to Capital Hospital. As of late Monday night, the SUV driver remained at large.
Sequence of Events
The accident took place along the Press Chowk–Railway Stadium road. The speeding SUV first struck an auto-rickshaw, a car, and two motorcycles before plowing into a group of people at the tea stall. Police are investigating whether Behera and Ekka were at the tea stall or inside the vehicles.
Witness Account
Prasakash Mohanty, a witness, described the scene: “The SUV came at a dangerous speed and smashed everything in its path. People were screaming and running for safety. It was utter chaos.”
Police Investigation
Police seized the badly damaged vehicle. “We are trying to reconstruct the sequence of events and ascertain how many people were inside the SUV. Efforts are on to trace the driver,” said an officer from Maitree Vihar police station.
