BERHAMPUR: At least six West Bengal tourists, including four women, were killed and another 42 sustained serious injuries after their bus overturned at Kalinga Ghat near Durgaprasad in Ganjam district late on Tuesday night.
The mishap took place at around 12.15 am along the Kandhamal-Ganjam border. The deceased were identified as Supriya Dinari, Sanjib Patra, Rima Dinari, Mousumi Dinari, Barnali Manna and Swapna Guchait.
Sources said, the bus with around 77 passengers, mostly women and children of Sultanpur village in Udaynarayanpur in WB had left on a tour to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. After staying at Daringibadi in Kandhamal district, the passengers left for Simhachalam in Andhra Pradesh via Bhanjanagar in Ganjam. On the way, the bus met with the accident. Sources said the driver lost control over the brakes and the bus overturned on the side of the ghat road during the descent.
Kalinga ghat tragedy: 6 killed
Bhanjanagar police with fire services personnel of Bhanjanagar and Tikabali reached the spot and rescued the injured passenger trapped under the bus. While five passengers had died on the spot, another succumbed at Bhanjanagar hospital. Fifteen of the injured were shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital (MCH) while one, identified as Rupali Gayen, has been admitted to SCBMCH at Cuttack.
Bus driver Raju Sadakha (50), who sustained injuries, said while alighting the ghat road, the brake failed and the vehicle hit a roadside tree and an electric pole before turning turtle. Police said relatives of the tourists have been informed. Ganjam SP Brijesh Roy met the injured passengers at MKCGMCH.
A bus for tourists to return home and two cars to carry the dead bodies were arranged by Bhanjanagar sub-collector Rajendra Minz, Bhanjanagar NAC chairman Gopabandhu Mohapatra and Bhanjanagar Private Bus Owners’ Association.