Argus News - Woman Killed, Husband and Son Critical After Truck Hits Scooter in Cuttack's Banki

Cuttack, Jan 22: A woman was killed and her husband and son were injured in a road accident near Ramchandi village under Banki police limits in Cuttack district on Thursday evening, a source said.

The accident occurred near Banara Ramchandi Chhak when a heavy vehicle (Hyva truck) allegedly hit a scooter carrying three members of a family. The victims were travelling from Bhubaneswar towards Kalapathar on a scooter at the time of the incident.

According to the source, the family consisted of a husband, wife and their son. The impact of the collision was severe, and the woman died on the spot due to the injuries sustained in the crash. The husband and son suffered serious injuries and were immediately shifted to a nearby medical facility for treatment. Their condition was reported to be critical.

Following the accident, local residents gathered at the spot and blocked the Cuttack–Banki road, leading to a complete halt in vehicular movement. Tension prevailed in the area for some time as traffic remained disrupted on the busy stretch.

On receiving information, personnel from Banki police station reached the scene and initiated efforts to control the situation. The police held discussions with the agitated locals and managed to restore order. The heavy vehicle involved in the accident was seized, and further action was initiated in connection with the incident.

Incident Highlights Road Safety Concerns in Odisha
The accident comes against the backdrop of persistent road safety concerns in Odisha. According to data presented in the Odisha Assembly on November 28, the state recorded 27,167 road accident deaths over the last five years, with an average of 5,433 fatalities annually. During the same period, 50,041 people were injured.

Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena had informed the Assembly that Odisha reported 56,830 road accidents between 2020 and 2024. Except for 2020 — when pandemic-related restrictions brought down fatalities to 4,738 — annual road accident deaths have consistently crossed the 5,000 mark.

Also Read: 10 Army Personnel Killed as Vehicle Plunges into Gorge in Jammu & Kashmir

Government Measures on Road Safety
To improve road safety, the state government has spent Rs 89.73 crore on various initiatives between 2020–21 and 2024–25. In addition, Rs 23.17 crore has been disbursed as financial assistance to accident victims under the Solatium Fund Scheme, the minister said.