Dharmendra Pradhan Expresses Grief Over Demise of Two Young Athletes in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Oct 22: Sambalpur MP and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday expressed grief over the death of two young athletes in a road accident on NH-16 between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

Two budding Indian sprinters, Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati (21) and Malaya Barik (20), died after their motorcycle reportedly crashed near Phulnakhara late on Wednesday night.

କଟକ - ଭୁବନେଶ୍ୱର ଜାତୀୟ ରାଜପଥ ନଖରା ନିକଟରେ ଏକ ଅଭାବନୀୟ ସଡ଼କ ଦୁର୍ଘଟଣାରେ ଯୁବ ଆଥଲେଟ୍ ଜୟରାମ ଦଣ୍ଡପତି ଏବଂ ମଳୟ ବାରିକଙ୍କର ବିୟୋଗ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ ଓ ମର୍ମାହତ। ଏହା ଆମ ରାଜ୍ୟର କ୍ରୀଡ଼ା ଜଗତ ପାଇଁ ଏକ ଅପୂରଣୀୟ କ୍ଷତି । ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରିବା ସହ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାର ବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଉଛି । ଏହି ଦୁଃଖଦ ସମୟରେ ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ପରିବାର ବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ଅସୀମ ଧୈର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଓ ସାହସ ପ୍ରଦାନ କରନ୍ତୁ । ଓଁ ଶାନ୍ତି

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) October 22, 2026

In a post on X, Pradhan described their deaths as an irreparable loss to Odisha's sporting community. He conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families, prayed for the departed souls and wished the families strength to bear the loss.

Jayaram, a native of Kalahandi district, had won gold medals in the men's 100m and 200m events at the Indian Open U-23 Athletics Competition in 2025. Malaya, from Bargarh district, was a 400m runner who had represented Odisha at State and national-level competitions.

Both athletes were training at the High Performance Centres at the Kalinga Stadium Sports Complex in Bhubaneswar.

Police said the two were travelling without helmets at the time of the accident.

A case has been registered at the Sadar police station. Post-mortem examinations were conducted today, and the bodies were handed over to their families. Further investigation is underway, police said.