Two Odisha sprinters killed in National Highway 16 road accident

Two promising young athletes, Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malaya Barik, died following a motorcycle accident on National Highway 16 near Phulnakhara in Cuttack district. The incident occurred late Wednesday night as the athletes were returning to the Kalinga Stadium Sports Complex in Bhubaneswar after attending Durga Puja celebrations in Cuttack.

According to police reports, the motorcycle hit a road divider, causing the riders to crash into roadside barricades. Both athletes were rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital, where they were declared dead. Dondapati, 21, was recognized as one of India’s fastest under-23 sprinters, while 20-year-old Barik was a promising 400-metre runner. Both were training at the High Performance Centre in Bhubaneswar.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik both expressed deep sorrow over the deaths, describing the event as a profound and irreparable loss to the state’s sporting community.