2 OSAP jawans killed in bus-truck collision

Two Odisha Special Armed Police (OSAP) personnel were killed and over 27 jawans injured in a collision between a bus and a truck in Jharsuguda district on Friday.

The bus carrying the OSAP personnel was on its way to Banharpalli in the district for deployment ahead of the CM's programme scheduled later in the day, police said.

The head-on collision took place at Sukhabandh on National Highway-49 near Belpahar.

While two jawans of the OSAP 2nd battalion died on the spot, the injured were taken to hospitals at Belhapar and Brajrajnagar. Most of them were later shifted to the VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla.

The condition of four jawans was stated to be serious, the police said.

The chief minister has expressed grief over the death of the two OSAP jawans and announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.

He also announced government jobs for the next of kin of the dead jawans, an official in the Chief Minister's Office said.

The chief minister visited the hospital at Burla and enquired about the condition of the injured jawans. He wished them speedy recovery and ordered free medical treatment for them.

In case of any disability of the injured personnel, an ex-gratia of Rs one lakh was also announced.

The deceased jawans have been identified as Shankar Prasad Panth and Prashant Behera, the police said.