BERHAMPUR: At least six tourists, including four women, were killed and over 45 others seriously injured in a road accident near Durgaprasad in Ganjam district late on Tuesday night.
The mishap occurred when the ill fated bus in which they were travelling overturned after the driver failed to apply brake following which one of the wheels went off at the end of Kalinga ghat killing five persons on the spot. Another tourist succumbed to his injuries at Bhanjanagar hospital.
The deceased are Supriya Dinari, Sanjib Patra, Rima Dinari, Mousumi Dinari and Barnali Manna. The identification of another passenger, who is a cook, was to be ascertained. Police sources said the bus with around 70 passengers, mostly women and children of Sultanpur village under Udayanarayanapur district in West bengal had left for touring Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
The mishap took place when the bus was on its way to Srikakulam from Daringibadi via Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district. The driver lost control over the brakes near Kalinga ghat while the bus was negotiating through the sharp turns on the ghat road.
The vehicle fell into a gorge after hitting an electric pole. "One of the front wheels caught fire and went off after the driver lost his grip over the steering. The vehicle slipped and overturned on the side of the road," police said.
On being informed a team of police personnel with fire brigade from Bhanjanagar and Tikabali reached at the spot and rescued the injured. They were initially rushed to Bhanjanagar hospital.
Later 15 of the injured were shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital when their condition deteriorated. One of the critically injured identified as Rupali Gayen has been shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack.
Critically injured bus driver Raju Sadakha (50) said they had left Daringibadi post dinner and at around 12:15 am its brake failed while alighting the ghat road. The bus hit a roadside tree and an electric pole before turning turtle.
The bodies have been sent for postmortem. Police are investigating into the matter.