Dhenkanal, May 9: Five persons died and four others were injured in a road mishap at Bijadih on Dhenkanal-Kamakhya Nagar Road early this morning.

An SUV, that was carrying nine persons who were returning after a marriage ceremony, had lost its balance and hit a roadside tree.

Of the five injured persons, the vehicle’s driver had to be shifted to Sriram Chandra Bhanja (SCB) Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack in a critical condition, while the others are undergoing treatment at the government hospital in Dhenkenal.

The deceased were identified as Sudhakar Sahu, 55, Antaryami Behera, 45, Souri Behera, 40, Pramod Behera, 28, and Panchanan Behera, 65. They belonged to Mathkargola and Bali Sahi of Kamakhaya Nagar sub-division in Dhenkanal district.

“We have sent the bodies for post-mortem. We have also seized the damaged sports utility vehicle. It seems that the driver had lost control of the vehicle either because of sleep or for some other reasons,” said Nanda Kishore Behera, an official of Kamakhya Nagar police station. “They were returning home after attending a marriage ceremony of one Narendra Prustry at Simonoi,” he added.