One Dead, Five Critically Injured In Jharkhand Highway Collision

A tragic road accident in Jharkhand's Seraikela-Kharsawan district claimed the life of a 41-year-old man and left five others critically injured when their speeding car collided with a stationary heavy vehicle on National Highway-33. The incident, which occurred near Daruda under the jurisdiction of Ichagarh police station, highlights the persistent dangers of high-speed travel on busy national highways, where parked vehicles often pose hazards without adequate warning.

The victims, all residents of Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal, were en route back from a pilgrimage in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, when the mishap unfolded in the morning. According to Ichagarh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Vikramaditya Pandey, the six-seater van, travelling at excessive speed, rammed into the rear of a parked container truck on the roadside. The impact was so severe that authorities had to deploy a gas cutter to extricate the driver's mangled body from the wreckage. Identified as Suryajit Pradhan, the deceased was pronounced dead at the scene, and his remains were transported to Seraikela Sadar Hospital for post-mortem examination.

The five other occupants, who were found unconscious amid the debris, received immediate medical attention. They were first rushed to the Chandil Community Health Centre before being transferred to MGM Medical College and Hospital in Jamshedpur for advanced care. As their conditions worsened later in the evening, all five were airlifted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, where they remain in critical condition under intensive monitoring. Among the identified injured are Satyabrata Pradhan, 63, and his son Manoj Pradhan, 37, based on their Aadhaar cards; the identities of the remaining three individuals are still pending confirmation.

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This accident underscores broader road safety concerns in India, where national highways like NH-33—connecting major cities and pilgrimage sites—witness frequent collisions due to speeding, fatigue, and inadequate roadside safeguards. Police have initiated an investigation to determine the exact sequence of events and are urging drivers to adhere to speed limits, especially during long journeys. As the injured fight for recovery, the community mourns the loss of Suryajit Pradhan, a father and provider whose life was cut short in an instant of misfortune.

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