Sun Jan 05 09:24:40 UTC 2025: ## Odisha BJP Leaders Killed in Suspicious Car Crash
**Sambalpur, Odisha:** Two BJP leaders were killed and four others injured in a car crash in Odisha’s Sambalpur district early Sunday morning. Police have detained the driver of a dumper truck involved in the collision, which occurred on NH 53 near Burla.
Debendra Nayak, BJP’s Goshala mandal president, and Muralidhar Chhuria, a former sarpanch, were killed instantly when their car was struck by the dumper. The six occupants, who were returning from Bhubaneswar, were rushed to a nearby hospital.
One of the survivors, Suresh Chanda, alleges the dumper intentionally rammed their vehicle three times. He claims the driver initially struck their car from behind twice on the highway, before pursuing them onto a rural road where the final, fatal collision occurred. This assertion is echoed by Nauri Naik, a senior BJP leader and former MLA, who visited the injured and suspects foul play.
Sambalpur SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo confirmed the dumper has been seized and its driver detained. Police are investigating the possibility of a deliberate act, given the survivors’ claims of multiple intentional collisions. The investigation is ongoing.
First Piper 