Nayagarh: Two separate road accidents in Nayagarh district on Tuesday claimed three lives and left four others critically injured, throwing the region into grief.
In the first incident, a collision between two bikes on State Highway 21 near Pattnaik Petrol Pump under Odagaon Adarsh Police Station resulted in the deaths of three young men.
Police sources said two of the deceased hailed from Karasingh in Kendrapara and Ganjam districts, while the third victim was a local resident. The accident, according to eyewitnesses, occurred due to high-speed overtaking between the two vehicles. Police reached the spot, recovered the bodies, and seized the bikes involved in the mishap.
In a separate incident, a bike collided with a car at Mahitama Chhak under Nuagaon Police Station, leaving four persons seriously injured. The injured were rushed to the Nayagarh District Headquarters Hospital for treatment.
Police have initiated investigations into both incidents.
The twin accidents have sparked concern among locals over rising cases of reckless driving on state highways.