BALASORE: A person was killed and 14 others suffered injuries after a Andhra Pradesh-bound tourist bus rammed into the retaining wall of Bahanaga overbridge on NH-16 within Khantapada police limits here on Friday morning.
The deceased was identified as Nadipena Srinivas Rao (45), the bus driver from Andhra Pradesh. The mishap took place at around 5.30 am.
Police sources said the bus carrying over 50 passengers was on way to Andhra Pradesh from West Bengal.
On Bahanaga overbridge, the bus crashed into the retaining wall and was left partially hanging from the bridge.
Due to the impact, Rao was thrown out of the bus through the shattered windscreen and fell off the bridge. He suffered critical injuries and was killed instantly.
On being informed, fire services personnel reached the crash site and rescued the passengers from the ill-fated bus with the help of locals. The injured were rushed to Khantapada community health centre (CHC) for treatment.
The remaining tourists were taken to nearby Bahanaga high school. Khantapada police later arranged another bus and sent the passengers to their destination in Andhra Pradesh.
Police said it is suspected that the bus driver dozed off at the wheel, causing the mishap. A case has been registered in connection with the incident. The deceased driver’s body was sent to the hospital for postmortem. The bus involved in the mishap has been seized and further investigation is underway, police added.