Berhampur: Three children who were travelling along with their mothers in the ill-fated vehicle escaped miraculously with minor injuries, even though their six relatives died and several others were injured in the accident.
Dipu (12) and his brother Rajesh (10) were travelling along with their mother, Parvati Bhuyan (40), and grandmother, Sanju (54), in the pick-up van. While they escaped with minor injuries, their grandmother died at AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Thursday. Their mother, Parvati, sustained severe injuries and is undergoing treatment at MKCG Medical College and Hospital here.
“Fortunately, my two sons survived the fatal accident,” said Balaji Bhuyan, 45, of the children in Kikisingh village amid the grief. He did not go to attend the last rite function of his relative at Gaibali, near Chandragiri. Preeti, an eight-year-old girl who was also travelling in the vehicle along with her mother, Prabhasini, also escaped. Her mother was injured.
“I planned to go in the same vehicle with my father to attend the death-related function of his distant relative. But at the last moment, I changed my decision and could not go. My father went in the vehicle, and we don’t know if he will go far ever and not return,” said Balaram Gamanga (17), while breaking down.
Balaram’s father, Hadibandhu, a farmer, died in the accident. “My father is the only bread-earner of my family. We are now very much worried about how to eke out a livelihood,” said Balaram, who has two unmarried sisters.