TNI Bureau: Pilgrimage turned tragic as eight people were killed while seven others were critically injured after the van in which they were traveling rammed into the rear of a truck parked on the road in Odisha’s Keonjhar district today.

The tragic accident occurred on the National Highway No 20 near Balijodi village under Ghatgaon police limits of the district.

According to reports, at least 20 people of two families of Podamari village in Digapahandi area of Ganjam district were on their way to Maa Tarini Temple in Keonjhar district in the van.

However, the van hit the truck causing the death of seven people on the spot and eight others critically injured.

They were rescued and rushed to the Ghatgaon Hospital for treatment. However, one of them succumbed to his injury during treatment.

Later, the injured were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for better treatment.

Meanwhile, the Balijodi police has started an investigation into the matter by registering a case and sending the bodies to the hospitals for post-mortem.

While it is yet to be known under what circumstances the accident took place, it is suspected that the driver of the van could not see the truck parked beside the road.