Bhadrak: A pal of gloom descended on Rahanja village in Bhadrak district after the last rites of the five schoolchildren, who were crushed to death by a truck yesterday, were conducted in the wee hours today.

Villagers in large numbers gathered at the village crematorium ground to conduct the funeral of the five kids. Meanwhile, four critically-injured students are undergoing treatment at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

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The five students- Priyabrata Mohanty, Sataybrata Barik, Sweta Sahoo, Sukant Sahoo and Kalpana Jena- were killed and four others sustained critical injuries after a speeding truck ran over them near Rahanja square on NH-16 at around 4.30 PM yesterday. All the nine students of Ranitel High School in the district were returning to their houses when the incident took place.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased and free treatment for the injured students.