Two Odisha sprinters, Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malay Barik, die in a road accident on the Cuttack highway. The incident happens late Wednesday night as they travel by two-wheeler with other members of their group.
The Hindu reports Dondapati and another athlete, Malay Barik, were on their way to Kataka for Dussehra celebrations by bike when the crash occurred. Times of India and Free Press Journal also describe both athletes as promising sprinters from Odisha and highlight their event specialisations—Dondapati as a fast under-23 sprinter in 2025 and Barik as a 400-metre runner.
Across outlets, coverage places the deaths within the context of Odisha’s athletics community reacting to the loss. Free Press Journal adds preliminary details about the group’s travel and who was on the two-wheelers, while the other reports focus more on the athletes’ profiles and the fact of their deaths.
