Minimum 10 people were killed and several others injured in a head-on collision between two buses under Digapahandi police limit in Ganjam district of Odisha.
Official sources said the accident took place at around 1 am in the night when a private bus returning from Berhampur collided with a state-run Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) that was coming from the opposite direction from Gudari in Rayagada district.
Confirming the 10 deaths, Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said the injured persons are being given necessary treatment by a team of doctors. “Preliminary investigation suggests it’s a head-on collision. We are trying to ascertain more details. The fire services teams and local police rescued all the injured and rushed them to hospital,” Vivek told reporters at Berhampur.
All the deceased and severely injured were in the private bus, and were returning after attending a marriage function at Berhampur. Six people who were severely injured are undergoing treatment at the MKCG Medical College and Hospital at Berhampur, while one injured person has been sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack for further treatment.
While the driver of one of the two buses involved in the accident is undergoing treatment, police said they are looking for the driver of the other bus.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik expressed deep concern over the accident and announced ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh each for the family members of the deceased. He also said that free treatment would be provided to the injured.
Patnaik further directed state finance minister Bikram Keshari Arukha and Berhampur MLA Bikram Panda to rush to the spot to monitor the situation
