Gajapati: Three persons died and seven others were critically injured when the auto-rickshaw in which they were travelling overturned and plunged into a 20-ft-deep gorge at Keradanga Ghat under R Udayagiri police limits in Gajapati district on Friday.
The deceased have been identified as Dali Kar, Luka Mandal, and nine-year-old boy Pratush Karji of Badapada, Kulesingh, and Jalanga villages respectively. The injured belong to K Baradanga, Jalanga, Badapada, and Nuagada villages.
According to sources, the accident took place when the driver lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a turn at Keradanga Ghat. The auto-rickshaw was heading toward Nuagada.
On being informed, a team from the fire department rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. All the injured persons were then taken to Khajuripada Community Health Centre (CHC). Among them, one has been shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur and three others to the district headquarters hospital at Paralakhemundi.
Meanwhile, police have recovered the bodies and sent them for postmortem.
