BALASORE/SONEPUR: As many as 11 persons were killed and 17 others injured, several critically, in two separate road accidents at Soro and Sonepur within the last 24 hours.
Six persons were killed and 12 others injured, eight critically, after a coal-laden truck hit a passenger bus on NH-16 at Bidu Chowk within Soro police limits of Balasore district on Saturday afternoon.
The bus was on its way to Bhubaneswar when the speeding truck rammed into it from behind. The bus skidded under the impact and overturned on the roadside.
Local police along with fire personnel rushed to the spot and started rescue operations. Among the deceased, four including two minors have been identified so far. They are Bijaylaxmi Priyadarshani(10), Chandrai Hembram (37), Sandeep Bagal (23) from Mayurbhanj and Sangita Murmu(14) from Balasore.
Soro IIC Sujata Khamari said the injured have been admitted to FM Medical College and Hospital. A case has been registered and the bus seized. Vehicles were stranded on both sides of the accident site on the busy highway for hours till the rescue operations were over and the bus was removed from the road.
Earlier, in another accident at Sonepur, five persons, including a father-daughter duo, were killed and as many injured when their SUV collided with a truck on Mahanadi bridge in the wee hours of Saturday.
The deceased were identified as Ashish Pandia and his daughter Siddhi Pandia, along with Pramod Pandia, Trayambak Meher and Subham Pandia from Nimna and Panchamahala villages under Ullunda block of the district.
Sources said, around 10 persons were returning home after attending a marriage function at Kaudiamunda village when their vehicle rammed into a paddy-laden truck at around 1 am. The injured were rescued from the mangled SUV with the help of gas cutters and rushed to Sonepur district headquarters hospital. They were later shifted to VIMSAR, Burla as their condition deteriorated.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia compensation for next of the kin of the deceased in both the accidents. He directed officials to ensure best of treatment to the injured.