DHENKANAL: In a tragic incident, three truck drivers allegedly died of food poisoning at a sugar mill here on Friday. The deceased Rudul Bharati, Dilip Bharati and Hareram Bharati, all residents of Bihar, had reportedly come to the mill to lift spirit. They had parked their tankers four days back at the parking area of Shakti Sugar Mills and stayed in the vehicles. 

The three were discovered by other drivers and locals in serious condition on Friday morning and rushed to the district headquarters hospital. While Dilip and Hareram died on the way, Rudul was referred to SCB MCH at Cuttack. He, however, succumbed while being shifted to Cuttack.

Although reason behind the deaths is yet to be ascertained, sources said they appeared to be suffering from food poisoning . Sources added that at least 15 to 20 tankers were parked in the sugar mill parking area since last four days to lift spirit from the mill. The mill had started functioning on Tuesday. 

However, administrative officer of the mill Akshya Das refuted the claim that the tankers were waiting to lift spirit. “It is due to security lapses on our part that these tankers from outside got inside the parking area of the mill”, he said. A case was registered and investigation is on.