3 Girl Students Heading To Puri Ratha Yatra killed In Heart-Wrenching Road Mishap
The incident sent shockwaves across the state, reigniting concerns over reckless driving and highway safety, especially during festive seasons when traffic on the Puri route swells dramatically: Reports
BHUBANESWAR: A pall of gloom descended on Odisha on Saturday after a tragic road accident near Tarakaj under the Pipili area on National Highway 317 claimed the lives of three young women, all students, as they were on their way to witness the sacred Ratha Yatra in Puri.
According to eyewitnesses, the victims — full of youthful excitement and devotion — were travelling on a scooter from Bhubaneswar to Puri when a speeding Odisha Road Transport Corporation (ORTC) bus fatally struck them. The impact threw them onto the road, and in a horrifying moment, the bus ran over all three, killing them instantly.
The victims were identified as Priyadarshini Sahoo (20) from Bhubaneswar, and Elina Das (20) and Kajal Das (20), both hailing from Rajakanika in Kendrapara district. All three were students of Sangeet Mahavidyalaya in Bhubaneswar.
The incident sent shockwaves across the state, reigniting concerns over reckless driving and highway safety, especially during festive seasons when traffic on the Puri route swells dramatically.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the accident occurred when the girls, while trying to avoid a two-wheeler coming from the wrong direction, lost control and were struck by the bus. Local police arrived swiftly at the scene, recovered the bodies, and sent them for post-mortem. Efforts to inform the grieving families were underway.