At least six persons died and 40 others were injured when a private bus plunged into a 20-feet gorge after hitting a biker on a bridge near Tukuda on NH-55 in Angul district on Tuesday afternoon.
This was the second major road accident in the district in two months after the September 9 mishap involving another private bus in which 19 passengers had died and more than 25 others sustained injuries.
Angul Superintendent of Police Kavita Jalan said the bus carrying at least 45 passengers was on its way to nearby Athamallick from Angul. “After hitting a two-wheeler on the bridge, the bus swerved and plunged into the gorge snapping the bridge barricade,” she said.
Sources said while one of the bus passengers died on the spot, the bike rider and the pillion rider, who also were thrown into the gorge along with their vehicle, died on the spot. Similarly, three others succumbed to their injuries while being shifted to the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack.
The injured were immediately rescued from the spot and rushed to the Angul District Headquarters Hospital, from where more than 20 seriously injured passengers were again shifted to the SCB hospital.
SCB hospital sources said the hospital has engaged at least seven teams of doctors and paramedics to attend the injured persons, who are being shifted from Angul in a phased manner.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressing grief over the incident announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased. Transport Minister Ramesh Majhi said the local transport officer has
been asked to submit a report after ascertaining the cause of the accident.