As many as 15 persons were injured, three of them critically, in a head-on collision between a bus and a truck on National Highway -143 in the district on Wednesday.
The accident took place when the Rourkela bound bus from Bonai, collided with a truck at Biritol on the NH-143. The impact of the collision was so severe that the truck turned turtle and the front portion of the bus was severely damaged.
According to eyewitness accounts, the mishap occurred allegedly due to rash and negligent driving by the driver of the truck, who was driving at breakneck speed.
He is now absconding after the incident.
Over 30 passengers were travelling in the bus, of whom, 15 have been injured in the mishap.
All the injured have been admitted to Bonai sub-divisional hospital while the condition of three passengers is said to be critical.
In another road mishap on the day, two persons died as the bike, they were travelling, rammed into a bridge near Bhalupani village in the district.