Road Mishap / Two Young Odia Athletes Killed in Motorcycle Accident Near Nakhara on National Highway

Kataka, Oct 22: Two young athletes from Odisha, Malaya Barik and Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati, died in a tragic motorcycle accident near Nakhara on the Kataka-Bhubaneswar National Highway on Wednesday night, a source said.

According to the source, the two were travelling on a motorcycle when the rider allegedly lost control and the vehicle crashed into a road divider at around 10:30pm. Both sustained critical injuries and were rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital by local residents. However, doctors declared them dead on arrival.

Cops from Kataka Sadar Police Station reached the accident site, took the damaged motorcycle into their custody and informed the families of the deceased.

At the time of the tragedy, Jayaram Dondapati -- who emerged as one of India’s fastest U23 sprinters—was travelling alongside fellow training partner and 400m quartermiler Malaya Barik. Both promising talents were undergoing rigorous professional training at the State-of-the-art Kalinga Stadium High-Performance Centre in Bhubaneswar, carrying the hopes of the nation on the track.

Jayaram Dondapati clinched GOLD in the Men’s 200m event at the Indian Open U23 Athletics Competition, while Malaya Barik secured GOLD in the Men’s U-20 400m race at the National Indoor Athletics Championships held in March 2026.

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CM Expresses Grief
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of the two athletes, describing their passing as a significant loss to Odisha’s sporting community.

“Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of athletes Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malaya Barik in a road accident. Their untimely passing is a profound loss to Odisha’s sporting fraternity,” Majhi wrote in a post on X.

He also extended his condolences to the bereaved families, praying for their strength during the difficult time and for eternal peace for the departed souls.

Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of athletes Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malaya Barik in a road accident. Their untimely passing is a profound loss to Odisha’s sporting fraternity. My heartfelt condolences to their bereaved families. May Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath grant them strength in this difficult time and eternal peace to the departed souls.

— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) October 22, 2026

“My heartfelt condolences to their bereaved families. May Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath grant them strength in this difficult time and eternal peace to the departed souls,” the chief minister added.

Odisha Sports Minister Pays Tribute
Odisha’s Minister of State for Sports and Youth Services (Independent Charge) Suryabanshi Suraj also expressed grief over the deaths, offering condolences to the families of the two young athletes.

ଗତକାଲି ଏକ ସଡ଼କ ଦୁର୍ଘଟଣାରେ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଯୁବ କ୍ରୀଡ଼ାବିତ ଦଣ୍ଡପତି ଜୟରାମ ଓ ମଳୟ ବାରିକଙ୍କ ଦୁର୍ଭାଗ୍ୟଜନକ ବିୟୋଗ ଖବର ମତେ ବ୍ୟଥିତ କରିଛି । ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ଶ୍ରୀ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ପରିବାରଜନଙ୍କୁ ଏହି ଦୁଃଖଦ ସମୟରେ ସାହା ହୁଅନ୍ତୁ ଏବଂ ଅସୀମ ଧୈର୍ଯ୍ୟ ପ୍ରଦାନ କରନ୍ତୁ । ଓଁ ଶାନ୍ତି 🙏

— Suryabanshi Suraj (@suryabanshibjp) October 22, 2026

In a post in Odia, the minister said the news of their untimely deaths in a road accident had deeply saddened him. He prayed to Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath to give their families strength and patience to endure the loss