DEOGARH: At least 23 people suffered injuries after a truck rammed into a passenger bus on NH-49 near Nuabhuin village within Deogarh police limits on Monday.
The mishap took place at around 11 am. The bus was en route to Kuchinda from Deogarh when the speeding truck rammed into it from behind. The bus was dragged up to a few metres before coming to a halt.
On being informed, fire services personnel rushed to the mishap site and rescued the injured passengers from the bus. They also used metal cutters to free passengers trapped in the mangled vehicle. The injured were rushed to Deogarh district headquarters hospital (DHH). Later, 12 critically-injured passengers were shifted to VIMSAR, Burla.
District collector Kabindra Sahu, deputy collector Parikshit Sahu and transport officer Keshab Chandra Nayak reached the DHH to take stock of the situation. Deogarh MLA Romancha Ranjan Biswal was seen helping the injured passengers and aiding their transfer to VIMSAR.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das and Basudevpur MLA Ashok Das, who were on a tour to Deogarh, also visited the DHH and met the injured victims. They were accompanied by district Congress president Sem Hemram.
Police said the injured passengers hail from Deogarh, Kuchinda and Sundargarh. The truck driver fled after the mishap and efforts are on to trace him. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.