ANGUL/BHUBANESWAR: At least four persons were killed and more than 20 were injured when a private bus fell off a bridge on NH-55 in Odisha’s Angul district, on Tuesday.
Police sources said the mishap occurred when the bus fell off a 30 feet bridge near Tukuda when the driver tried to save a biker who came in the way. The bus carrying more than 30 passengers was returning from Sambalpur to Angul.
With the help of locals, police rescued the passengers and rushed to nearby Angul district headquarters hospital. Sources said some of them have been shifted to SCB medical college and hospital at Cuttack after their condition deteriorated.
Angul SP Kavita Jalan, who was monitoring the rescue operation said three bodies have been recovered from the spot. “The injured have been hospitalised. Focus is on to provide them required medical aid and ensure that they are treated properly,” she added.
Along with local administrative officials, Angul Sub-collector S K Mohanty has also rushed to the spot. The deceased persons are yet to be identified.
This is second major bus mishap in the district within 45 days. On September 09, 21 passengers of a private bus were killed when the vehicle fell off a bridge near Puruna Manitri near Athamalik in the district.
On April 17, 27 members of an opera troupe were killed when a bus carrying them plunged down to a 300-foot gorge in Deogarh district.