Bhubaneswar: The driver of the car involved in the fatal serial accident near Press Chhak in the Gajapati Nagar area of Bhubaneswar surrendered before Maitree Vihar Police on Tuesday. The accident has claimed three lives and left four others critically injured.

According to reports, the driver said he suddenly lost control of the vehicle, leading to the chain collision. A breath analyser test conducted after his surrender reportedly confirmed that he was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.

The accused driver has been identified as Anil Gouda, a resident of Gangapur in Ganjam district. Following his surrender, he reportedly told police that he lost control of the vehicle after coughing while driving.

The accident occurred at around 8 pm on Monday when the car was travelling from Press Chhak towards Railway Stadium. Near the New Government Colony gate, more than ten people had gathered at a roadside tea stall.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the speeding car hit a road hump, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle then rammed into four parked motorcycles and an autorickshaw before ploughing into people standing in front of the tea stall. The car finally came to a halt after crashing into a mango tree nearby.

Three people, including the husband of an IAS officer, died in the accident. Four others sustained critical injuries and were shifted to different hospitals for treatment. Their condition remains serious.

The deceased have been identified as Santosh Behera of Dhenkanal, Laxmidhar Toppo of Bhubaneswar, and Jeyrom Ekka of Bhubaneswar.

Investigators are examining CCTV footage from the area to determine the exact sequence of events and establish the cause of the accident.

A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway.