Keonjhar/Nabarangpur: A bus passenger was killed and at least 30 people were injured in separate road mishaps in Keonjhar and Nabarangpur districts Saturday.
In Keonjhar, a person was killed while seven others were left with severe injuries in a head-on collision between a bus and a container on National Highway-49 (Mumbai-Kolkata) near Turumunga under Patna block of the district. Moreover, 15 others sutained minor injuries. The critical were taken to Keonjhar district headquarters hospital (DHH).
After getting information, Patna police station IIC Bijaykrushna Mahapatra and ASI Bipin Bihari Barik reached the spot and took stock of the situation.
The incident occurred when Koushlya, a private bus en route to Barbil from Baripada, collided head-on with the container coming from Keonjhar.
In another accident, at least 15 passengers had a close shave after the private bus ferrying them overturned near Indravati river at Bangalaguda village under Sadar police limits in Nabarangpur district Saturday morning. The accident occurred when the vehicle carrying around 20 passengers was en route to Jeypore from Nabarangpur. Sources said the vehicle skidded off the road when the driver, who was also injured in the mishap, lost control. However, no casualty was reported in the accident.
Passers-by rushed the injured, including four women, to Nabarangpur DHH. Doctors said the condition of two passengers was critical and they were shifted to Koraput DHH.
Meanwhile, police and fire brigade personnel reached the spot and launched a rescue operation with the help of locals.
Vehicular movement came to a standstill following the mishap, said sources, adding police seized the vehicle and launched a probe.
PNN