Injured chess players out of danger

Four of the injured chess players from Andhra Pradesh, including International Master PDS Girinath, who was admitted to a hospital in Cuttack in serious condition following a road accident near Puri on Sunday, are out of danger.

Hospital sources said scanning was done on Monday morning on Girinath, who suffered multiple fractures, and there is no cause for worry.

The other three persons, including Girinath's wife, are also progressing well at the critical care unit of the casualty department of the hospital.

Girinath and his wife, both coaches, were part of a 11-member team which was on its way to Puri to participate in an FIDE rating championship when their vehicle collided with a speeding mini bus at Sakhigopal.

Five of them, including two junior Asian chess champions, M Abhinav and D Minoo, were killed on the spot while the rest suffered serious injuries. The police said the bodies were brought to Bhubaneshwar from Puri and would be sent to Hyderbad by train later on Monday.

Of the six injured players, four were shifted to S C B Medical college hospital on Sunday in a critical condition while the other two are being treated at Sakhigopal hospital.

The tournament, slated to commence at Puri on Monday, had been cancelled.