JEYPORE ; Two persons died and thirteen were injured after a bus in which they were returning after a ‘darshan’ of Lord Shiva at Gupteswar overturned near Seribeda in Koraput district on Friday.
While one of the deceased, identified as Uttam Jena, was a school teacher, the other was Madan Hantal, police said.
After preliminary treatment, the injured were shifted to Jeypore and Boipariguda hospital.
The bus overturned while negotiating a turn near Seribeda. “There were around 30 devotees in the bus and all were residents of Poplur in Malkangiri district. By hiring a private bus, they had reached Gupteswar on Thursday evening and after completing ‘darshan,’ they were returning to their village,” sources said.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled the death and announced `2 lakh ex gratia each to the next of the kin of the deceased. Naveen also announced free treatment for the injured.