A speeding electric car lost control and ploughed into a roadside tea stall on Monday evening, June 15, 2026, in Bhubaneswar’s Gajapati Nagar, leaving three people dead and three others seriously injured. The tragedy occurred along the Press Chowk–Railway Stadium road when the driver allegedly hit a speed breaker at extreme speed, lost control, and smashed into an auto-rickshaw and five parked two-wheelers before running over customers at the stall.
Witnesses described the scene as complete chaos, while the families of the victims including an electrician and the husband of a senior government official are left mourning. In the latest development, the 30-year-old driver has surrendered to the police. While a breath analyser test cleared him of alcohol consumption, he claims a sudden, severe coughing fit caused by medication made him lose control of the vehicle.
The Sequence of Destruction
The horrific incident unfolded around 8:30 PM on Monday night under the jurisdiction of the Maitree Vihar Police Station. The area, usually bustling with commuters and locals relaxing after work, turned into a disaster zone within seconds.According to eyewitnesses, the electric vehicle was travelling at a dangerously high speed from Press Square towards Gadakana.
Upon hitting a speed breaker, the car reportedly launched briefly into the air. When it landed, the driver could not regain control. The vehicle barreled into five stationary motorcycles and an auto-rickshaw with such force that the three-wheeler completely overturned and crumpled. The car finally ground to a halt only after mowing down people at the tea stall and crashing straight into a roadside tree.
The Toll on Human Lives
The catastrophic impact triggered an immediate rush from bystanders who tried to pull trapped victims out from beneath the tangled metal. Emergency services moved the casualties to a nearby private hospital and Capital Hospital. Despite medical efforts, three lives were cut short. Jeyrom Ekka, the husband of a senior woman IAS officer, succumbed to his injuries on Monday night.
Santosh Behera, a local electrician, also passed away shortly after the accident due to severe trauma. The third victim, Laxmidhar Tudu, suffered critical injuries and passed away while undergoing intensive treatment on Tuesday morning. Three other unnamed individuals sustained severe injuries and continue to fight for their recovery under close medical supervision.
The Driver’s Defense and Police Action
The driver of the vehicle, identified as 30-year-old Anil Kumar Gouda from the Ganjam district, initially fled the scene of the crash as public anger swelled. However, he subsequently surrendered before the authorities.The Maitree Vihar police conducted an immediate breathalyser test on Gouda, which returned a zero-alcohol reading, ruling out standard drunk driving
During preliminary interrogation, the driver presented a medical defense, claiming he had consumed heavy cough medicine earlier and suffered a sudden, uncontrollable bout of coughing right before reaching the speed breaker, which caused him to lose control of the steering wheel.
Law enforcement authorities have seized the mangled electric car and launched a comprehensive investigation. They are now relying on forensic examinations and local CCTV footage to determine whether the crash was truly an unavoidable medical emergency or a case of criminal speed negligence.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective –
This devastating incident in Bhubaneswar is a heartbreaking reminder of how fragile life is and how quickly public spaces can turn fatal due to a lack of vehicular control. While the driver’s medical claim regarding cough syrup requires thorough investigation, the central truth remains that excessive speed on an urban road has shattered multiple families. Road safety is not just about adhering to traffic laws; it is an act of shared empathy and responsibility towards our fellow citizens.
Every time we step behind the wheel, we hold the lives of pedestrians, street vendors, and other commuters in our hands. We need stricter accountability, better road architecture with visible speed warning signs, and a collective psychological shift towards cautious, defensive driving. Compassion on the road can save lives, and structural vigilance can prevent such preventable losses from repeating.
STORY | Three killed, three injured as car runs over people after hitting multiple vehicles in Bhubaneswar
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 16, 2026
At least three persons were killed and three others seriously injured when a speeding car ran over several people having tea on a roadside stall after hitting multiple… pic.twitter.com/MSVSM5vA57
