Five killed, 30 injured as tourist bus overturns in Odisha’s Nayagarh

Bhubaneswar: At least five persons were killed and 30 others injured when a tourist bus overturned in Odisha’s Nayagarh district in the early hours of Saturday, police said.

The accident took place around 2 am when the bus, carrying 55 passengers, overturned on the Hanuman Ghati road at Daspalla.

Speeding is suspected to be the reason for the accident, police said.

"The bus overturned on Hanuman Ghati road while negotiating a curve," police said.

The deceased have been identified as Hari Patra, his wife Laxmi Patra, Suprabha Sahu, her daughter Sumati and the driver, Prabin Kumar Sahu. All were residents of Berhampur, police said.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed grief over the incident and conveyed his condolences to the families of the deceased persons.

He has also announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) for the next of kin of the deceased.

Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida also expressed grief over the incident.

"Hearing the news of multiple passengers losing their lives in a tourist bus accident near Daspalla in Nayagarh district, I am deeply grieved and heartbroken. I pray to Lord Jagannath for the eternal peace of the departed souls and the speedy recovery of the injured," she said in a social media post.

Arya Patra, one of the injured passengers, alleged that the vehicle was speeding.

"The bus was at a very high speed, possibly over 100 kmph, on the ghat road. It suddenly overturned. While some passengers were thrown out, nearly five remained trapped under it," he said.

Another passenger, Santosh Pradhan, said they had hired the bus from Berhampur and were travelling to Harishankar in Balangir district.

Personnel from Daspalla and Banigocha police stations, along with fire services teams, rescued the injured passengers and took them to the community health centre at Daspalla.

Daspalla police has started an investigation into the incident, officials said.