Odisha: Rayagada bus mishap death toll rises to three

BERHAMPUR: With one more passenger succumbing to his injuries during the treatment on Tuesday, the death toll in the bus mishap that took place in the Rayagada district rose to three.

On Monday night, two persons had died on the spot and 20 others sustained injuries when a bus carrying 30 passengers skidded off the road and turned turtle at Hajaridanga under Bisaamcuttack police limits.

Police sources said the mishap occurred when the ill-fated bus skidded off the road and turned turtle on the roadside farmland at about 10.30 pm after the driver of the vehicle lost his grip over the steering while negotiating a curve.

Although the injured persons were rushed to the nearby hospital, bus conductor Santosh Kumar Biswal and driver Akash Kumar Sahu were declared brought dead. Another passenger, who was to be identified, succumbed at the hospital.

When informed, Rayagada collector Promod Kumar Behera, Project Director of DRAD Amrut Ruturaj, and other officials reached the spot and coordinated the rescue operation. Eight ambulances were pressed into service to shift the injured persons to the Christian Hospital and Government hospital at Bissamcuttack.“A passenger succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.

The bodies of the three deceased persons have been sent for postmortem. Besides, three critically injured passengers have been shifted to Visakhapatnam after their condition deteriorated,” Inspector-in-Charge of Bissamcuttack police station S Barik said.