Bhubaneswar: The death toll in the horrific electric vehicle (EV) crash near New Government Colony, close to Sainik School, rose to three on Tuesday after another injured person succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. Three others continue to battle for their lives, raising concerns over one of the city’s deadliest road accidents involving an EV.
The latest victim was identified as Laxmidhar Tapu. Two others — Jeyrom Ekka, husband of an IAS officer, and Santosh Behera — had died shortly after the accident on Monday night.
According to reports, the compact EV was travelling from Press Chhak towards MCL Office Road when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle. The car first rammed into a parked auto-rickshaw and several motorcycles before ploughing into a group of people standing near a roadside tea stall.
The impact left six people injured, four of them seriously. Panic gripped the area as locals rushed to rescue the victims trapped amid the wreckage. The injured were initially shifted to a nearby private hospital before being referred to Capital Hospital and later to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment.
Doctors declared two victims dead soon after they were brought to the hospital, while a third succumbed to injuries during treatment on Tuesday. The condition of the remaining three injured persons is stated to be critical.
Eyewitnesses alleged that the EV was moving at high speed when the accident occurred. Several residents claimed the vehicle appeared to have gone out of control moments before crashing into pedestrians.
Following the accident, the driver allegedly abandoned the vehicle and fled the spot, triggering anger among local residents. He was later identified as Anil Gowda, a resident of Gangapur in Ganjam district, and subsequently surrendered to the police.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to ascertain the circumstances leading to the crash.
