Two promising Indian sprinters, Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malaya Barik, died in a fatal road accident on National Highway 16 near Phulnakhara in Cuttack district late on Wednesday night, 22 October 2025, plunging Odisha's sporting community into mourning. The duo was reportedly travelling on two-wheelers when they lost control and rammed into roadside barricades.

Who Were the Athletes

Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati, originally from Kalahandi district, was recognised as one of India's fastest under-23 sprinters in 2025. Malaya Barik hailed from Baragada district. Both athletes were training at the High Performance Centres (HPCs) at the Kalinga Stadium Sports Complex in Bhubaneswar, one of the country's premier elite sports training hubs.

What Happened on NH-16

According to reports, a group of four — three athletes and a swimming coach — were riding two two-wheelers on National Highway 16, heading to Cuttack city to attend a Sambalpuri Melody orchestra being held there on the occasion of the Durga Puja festival. The two deceased athletes were on the lead vehicle when they reportedly lost control near Phulnakhara and collided with the barricades along the roadside.

A fourth member of the group, sprinter Astik Pradhan — who recently won a silver medal in the men's 400-metre event at the U23 National Championships in Jaipur — was reportedly riding a separate two-wheeler approximately 50 metres behind the group at the time of the accident. The injured were rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared the two athletes dead on arrival.

Government and Fraternity React

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep grief over the tragedy on his X (formerly Twitter) handle. 'Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of athletes Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malaya Barik in a road accident. Their untimely passing is a profound loss to Odisha's sporting fraternity. My heartfelt condolences to their bereaved families. May Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath grant them strength in this difficult time and eternal peace to the departed souls,' he wrote.

Odisha Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj also condoled the deaths, as did athletes and officials across the state's sporting community. The accident has reignited concerns about road safety on NH-16, a highway that has seen repeated accidents over the years.

A Loss for Indian Athletics

The deaths come at a critical juncture for Indian track and field, where the U23 circuit has been producing a new generation of sprinters capable of competing at Asian and Commonwealth levels. Mrutyam's standing as one of the country's fastest U23 athletes underscores the scale of the loss. Notably, the Kalinga Stadium Sports Complex has been central to Odisha's rise as India's most active state-level sporting host, and the tragedy is expected to prompt a review of athlete welfare and travel protocols at High Performance Centres.

Authorities are yet to issue a formal statement on the circumstances leading to the accident. Further details on the condition of the remaining members of the group are awaited.