Jajpur, Sept. 18: Three persons were killed when a car in which they were travelling plunged into a roadside river at Bari in the district last night. One person suffered serious injuries in the accident.

Police said the bodies were recovered this afternoon, while the injured, identified as Pradeep Jena, 42, of Khemeswar village, got admitted at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

The deceased have been identified as Ramesh Nayak, 36), Debendra Das, 30, and Roga Jena, 31. The victims were residents of Khemeswar village.

The police said the four persons were heading towards Bari Mount last night. The driver lost control over the vehicle, and as a result of it, the car skidded off the road and fell into the Nua river near Chhatar village on the Bari-Kalamatia road.

Pradeep, who was sitting in the front seat, managed to escape as the front door of the vehicle opened under the impact of the mishap.

A local youth, who was passing by, spotted Pradeep lying injured in the riverbank. Later, he rescued the injured in assistance with the villagers and admitted him to local hospital. Later, Pradeep was shifted to SCB after his condition deteriorated.

Later, the police and fire tenders reached the spot and the fire brigade personnel with the help of local youths started rescue operation and fished out all the bodies.

"The accident occurred around 9pm last night," said officer in-charge of Bari police station Rajkishore Nayak.

The rescue teams recovered the bodies from the capsized car and sent them to the district headquarters hospital for post mortem, he said.

Poacher arrested

District wildlife division officials have arrested a 22-year-old poacher and seized two deer and a firearm in Balasore today. Patrolling staff members at the Kuldhia sanctuary caught the accused last night, but five other members of his group managed to escape. Divisional forest officer Harshbardhan Udgata said: "Efforts are on to catch the gang."