60-year-old farmer dies after tractor overturns in Boudh district

Pitambar Karna, a 60-year-old farmer from Surundi village, died after a tractor overturned near Shankarda village under Harabhanga police limits in Boudh district on Wednesday.

According to reports, Pitambar was travelling to Shankarda on a tractor to plough his farmland. At around 11 am, the vehicle suddenly lost control and overturned.

Pitambar was trapped underneath the tractor and sustained critical injuries. Local residents rescued him and rushed him to Harabhanga hospital where doctors declared him dead.

On being informed, police reached the hospital, seized the body for autopsy. An investigation has been launched into the incident.

The incident occurred on a rural road connecting Surundi to Shankarda, a route frequently used by farmers transporting equipment to their fields. Eyewitnesses reported that the tractor was carrying a plough attachment and was moving at a slow speed when it veered off the road and tipped over into a ditch. Local villagers, who were working in nearby fields, rushed to the scene and helped lift the tractor to free Pitambar, but he had already sustained severe injuries.

Harabhanga hospital authorities confirmed that Pitambar was brought in unconscious and despite emergency medical intervention, he was declared dead on arrival due to traumatic injuries sustained from the overturn.

Police officials from the Harabhanga outpost arrived shortly after being notified and initiated standard procedures, including seizing the tractor for forensic examination and recording statements from eyewitnesses. The body has been sent for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death, though preliminary assessments indicate fatal injuries from compression and impact.

An official investigation has been launched under the supervision of the Boudh district police to ascertain whether mechanical failure, road conditions, or operator error contributed to the accident. Authorities have urged farmers to exercise caution while operating heavy machinery on uneven rural terrain, especially during the monsoon season when soil loosening increases the risk of rollovers.

The incident has cast a pall of grief over Surundi village, where Pitambar was known as a hardworking and respected member of the farming community. Neighbours described him as someone who always lent a helping hand during sowing and harvest seasons. His family has been left devastated, with relatives expressing shock over the sudden loss.

Agricultural accidents involving tractors remain a persistent concern in Odisha’s rural districts, where mechanisation has increased but safety training and infrastructure improvements have lagged. Officials from the agriculture department have reiterated the need for regular vehicle maintenance and the use of rollover protective structures (ROPS) on farm equipment to prevent such tragedies.

As the community mourns, local leaders have called for improved road safety measures and greater awareness campaigns targeting rural workers about the dangers of operating machinery on unpaved and sloped routes.

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