At least 20 persons were killed and around 25 injured when a tractor they were travelling in met with an accident in Kalyansinghpur block of Rayagada district of south Odisha on Friday.
The tragedy occurred when the tractor carrying a group of around 50 people in its trailer fell into a gorge from the Upper Anchal ghat road between Upper Anchalbadi and Hataguma.
According to police sources, the group was returning to Haranpadu village from Seriguma after attending a marriage. Local people said the driver lost control when one of the front wheels of the vehicle broke.
Rayagada Superintendent of Police Rajesh Pandit has rushed to the site of the accident. Identification of the deceased was still on, though darkness made the task tough.
Meanwhile, the injured were brought to the Rayagada district hospital. Three seriously injured were shifted to a private hospital in Visakhapatnam.
It may be noted that after receiving information about the accident, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had spoken over phone with the Rayagada district collector and instructed him to shift the seriously injured to Visakhapatnam for better medical intervention.
