Sheragada: Two passengers were killed while more than 30 others including women were injured after a mini-bus overturned here in Ganjam district Monday.
Locals with the help fire brigade personnel rescued the injured and admitted them to the local hospital. Later, 14 passengers were shifted to Berhampur-based MKCG Medical College and Hospital as their conditions worsened.
A Plus Two first year student Suna Behera was killed in the mishap while the identity of the other deceased was yet to be established. Police registered a case and sent the bodies for post-mortem.
According to sources, the incident occurred while the driver of the vehicle on its way to Sheragda from Katu was busy talking over his cell-phone. Meanwhile, a tyre of the vehicle burst. The driver with a phone in one hand failed to control the vehicle. The vehicle overturned and fell into a paddy field.
Among the critically injured were Sibaram Patra, Mamata Panda, Muna Behera, Somnath Jena, Saiba Patra, Surya Narayan Swain, Suman Behera, Sashi Swain, Puspanjali Gouda, Gandhi Gouda and Chandini Behera. Collector Prem Chandra Chaudhary visited them at MKCG Medical College and Hospital.
BDO Ranjan Kumar Biswal, ABDO Arun Kumar Pradhan and tehsildar Sambit Kumar Gadnayak went to the local hospital where the other injured passengers were undergoing treatment.
Police registered a case and launched an investigation. PNN