Bhubaneswar, Jul 28 (IANS): Over 25,000 people were killed in road accidents in Odisha during the last five years, state transport minister Tukuni Sahu told the assembly on Thursday.

In a written reply to a question asked by BJP legislator Mohan Majhi, Sahu said 25,257 people were killed and 52,769 injured in 53,982 road accidents reported during the five years in the state.

During the period, 4,947 people have lost their lives in the hit and run cases, she said.

As per the reply, 4,790 people were killed and 11,198 injured in 10,855 road accidents in 2017, while 11,262 road mishaps were reported in 2018 in which 5,315 were killed and 11,794 got injured.

In 2019, 5,333 people were killed and 11,177 injured in 11,064 road accidents. Similarly, road mishaps have killed 4738 people in 2020 and 5,081 in 2021.

The government has provided assistance of Rs 49.50 lakh to next to the kin of 29 people who were killed by unidentified vehicles under the solatium fund in 2019, while Rs 1.11 crore paid to 63 people in 2020, Rs 2.93 crore to 164 people in 2021 and Rs 7.40 crore was provided to 116 people up to June of 2022.

Moreover, the state government has provided compensation of Rs 1.69 crore to the next of kin of 77 deceased people out of Chief Minister's Relief Fund who died in road accidents during 2018-19 to 2022-23.

In another reply, the minister informed the house that 2,357 persons died in 4,980 road accidents in 2022 (January-May).