Bhubaneswar: Two separate crashes, involving Mahindra Thar SUVs, claimed four lives in Bhubaneswar and its outskirts within just 24 hours.
According to sources, three youths in their 20s were killed when their speeding Thar SUV collided with the rear of a stationary trawler truck on National Highway-16 near Pitapalli Chhak under Info Valley police limits late Wednesday evening. The SUV was reportedly traveling at over 100 km/h when it rammed into the parked trailer, causing severe damage and mangling the vehicle.
Fire and emergency services personnel used hydraulic cutters to extricate the occupants. Two victims died on the spot, while a third succumbed to injuries at Khurda district headquarters hospital. A fourth occupant was critically injur
ed and rushed for treatment.
Preliminary investigation indicated the accident occurred after 9 pm.
Just hours earlier, on Tuesday night around 11.40 pm, another Thar SUV struck a Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle near Capital Hospital Square, killing an 18-year-old, identified as Raja Pediny, on the spot. Pediny was a resident of the Old Town area.
The collision was so forceful that the SUV dragged the motorcycle for some distance, crushing the victim under its wheels. Two other riders on the bike — Abhimanyu Champati and Ganesh Sahoo — sustained serious injuries and were admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for treatment.
The Thar involved in the second crash was registered in the name of contractor Pradyumna Biswal. He fled the scene after the mishap while Subham Kumar Das, who was also in the vehicle, was detained. Das claimed Biswal was driving when the accident took place.
Investigation is underway to ascertain who was behind the wheels.
Police have intensified probes into both cases, with concerns mounting over the “Thar menace” in the city, as similar high-speed crashes involving the popular SUV have been reported in recent months.