Keonjhar: At least six persons were killed in four separate road accidents across the district on Friday, re-establishing the mineral-rich region's track-record of being one of the worst accident-prone areas of the state.

Two bikers were killed near Dhenkikote under-construction overbridge in Ghatagon police limits. The deceased were identified as Tankadhar Mohanta, 45, and Naba Kishore Singh, 38, both natives of neighbouring Jajpur police district, police said.

The victims fell into a 30 feet ditch as they failed to negotiate a curve on the overbridge.

There was no safety signal to caution and alert the motorists and bikers on the unfinished work of the bridge.

The accident sparked off tension with agitated people staging roadblock. The police rushed to the spot to restore order.

In yet another road accident, two bikers died when a speeding truck rammed into their bike at Sponge Chowk near Palaspanga village in Sadar police limits.

The victims, who are yet to be identified, died on the spot. Law and order erupted at the accident spot with a mob staging a roadblock paralysing vehicular traffic.

A 40-year-old motorcyclist was killed in another road accident as an unknown vehicle hit his bike from the rear at Junga village road in Pandapada police limits.

A pedestrian was run over by a speeding private transport bus on the national highway No. 49 near the district headquarters township. The deceased has been identified as Rabindra Mohanta, 35.

"The spurt in road accident fatalities in Keonjhar district is a matter of concern. The district had accounted for the loss of 350 human lives in road accidents last year. This year, 172 lives have already been lost till June end. Incidentally, the majority of victims are two-wheeler riders, who paid the price for not wearing safety gear such as helmets. The police have intensified drive in penalising riders without helmets," said Keonjhar superintendent of police Jay Narayan Pankaj.