Berhampur: Two childhood friends were killed when the bullock cart they were traveling in was struck by a speeding sand-laden truck coming from the opposite direction in Ganjam district’s Patapur police station limits during the early hours of Thursday.
One of the bullocks pulling the cart also died on the spot, while the other sustained injuries, according to police officials.
The deceased have been identified as Nath Jena, 55, and Bijay Gouda, 57, both residents of Pratapagiri. They had gone to a nearby forest area to collect bamboo and were returning to their village when the accident occurred. The truck rammed into their bullock cart, throwing them off the vehicle upon impact and causing severe injuries, said a police officer.
Both victims were rushed to a nearby hospital at Adapada, where doctors declared Jena dead. Gouda was transferred to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, where he succumbed to his injuries, police added.
Patapur inspector-in-charge Dipti Ranjan Behera stated that the sand-laden truck has been seized and its driver detained for investigation. The bodies were handed over to family members after postmortem examinations.
This tragic incident highlights the dangers faced by villagers using traditional modes of transport on roads shared with heavy vehicles. Local authorities have been urged to enforce stricter traffic regulations to prevent such accidents.
