Sundargarh road mishap: Odisha CM announces ex-gratia to victims’ kin

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed grief over the death of five persons in a road mishap in Odisha’s Sundargarh district and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh to the kin of the deceased persons.

The ex-gratia will be provided from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF).

Patnaik also directed the officials to provide free treatment to the injured persons, said the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in a statement.

Notably, at least 5 persons, including four members of two families, were killed in the road mishap today.

A 14-year-old girl was also critically injured in the mishap that occurred near Telendihi village in the afternoon.

According to sources, some residents of Bagichapada under Sundargarh Sadar police limits went for a picnic to Telendihi area in the morning.

The road mishap took place while they were returning home in an auto-rickshaw in the afternoon, sources said.

A speeding truck hit the auto-rickshaw near Telendihi and the two vehicles fell into the roadside field following the collision. At least five persons died on the spot, sources added.

The deceased have been identified as Munsan Khatoon (48) and her granddaughter Inayat (4), Ishrat Khatoon (42) and her daughter Muskan (19), and auto-rickshaw driver Muhammad Sajjad.

Soni, another daughter of Ishrat, sustained critical injuries in the mishap. She has been admitted to Sundargarh District Headquarters Hospital (DHH).