At least eight migrants were killed while several others suffered injuries when a bus by which they were travelling from Ganjam district collided with a truck at Chherikhedi in Raipur of Chhattisgarh in the wee hours of Saturday.
The bus was en route to Surat in Gujarat. The injured were shifted to a nearby to hospital.
The remaining 59 labours were safe and under care of the Raipur administration. A team of Odisha police led by the Padampur SDPO rushed to Raipur to assist the cops there, informed DGP Abhay, who has been directed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to remain in touch with the Chhattisgarh police for coordination.
CM Patnaik expressed deep grief to the bereaved families over the deaths and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of the kin of the deceased and free medical treatment for the injured.
The CM also directed Minister Susanta Singh to immediately proceed to Raipur to extend necessary assistance to the victims.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also conveyed his deep sympathy to the families of the deceased and the injured.