A tragic road accident in Odisha’s Jajpur district claimed the lives of a 35-year-old man and his pregnant wife on Friday. Their minor daughter has suffered critical injuries after an unidentified vehicle rammed into their scooter, according to local police.
The collision occurred on National Highway-16 near Sankharidiha village under the Dharmasala police station limits. The vehicle struck the family from behind and immediately fled the scene, police said.
Authorities have identified the deceased as Subrat Kumar Sahu and his 30-year-old wife, Annapurna Pal. The couple resided in Siha village, located under the Badachana block.
The couple’s four-year-old daughter, Aaradhya, sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment in critical condition at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, police said.
Police said the family was travelling home on the scooter in the evening, following Aaradhya’s routine medical check-up at a private clinic in Jaraka Bazar, when the fatal crash took place.
With the assistance of the police, locals rushed the victims to the Community Health Centre in Dharamsala. They were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) in Cuttack after their condition deteriorated, police said.
Subrat and Annapurna were declared dead on arrival by doctors at the hospital. Inspector-in-Charge of Dharmasala police station, Chinmayee Sahu, stated that the health condition of the minor girl is critical.
“We have seized the damaged scooter and started an investigation into the circumstances that led to the accident. A case was registered in this regard,” she said.
