The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Angul Superintendent of Police (SP) to furnish an action-taken report (ATR) over the death of 19 persons in the bus accident allegedly due to the carelessness of the driver on September 9 near Athamalik.
The commission while acting on the petition of Angul-based Human Rights Watch secretary Sangita Swain on October 2 sought ATR from the SP within eight weeks.
The petitioner alleged that 19 precious lives were lost as the ill fated private ‘Maharaja’ bus skidded off the Manitri bridge near Athamalik as the bus was unfit for plying on roads and more so the carelessness of the driver.
Swain urged the apex human rights watchdog to order for a compensation of `10 lakh to the kin of the each deceased and `5 lakh to the injured persons besides, initiating criminal and disciplinary action against the concerned public authorities for the mishap.
She also requested the rights panel to intervene to ensure that trained and experienced driver runs the buses.