Nayagarh: At least two persons were killed and 15 others critically injured as a bus carrying picnickers overturned after colliding with a truck at Mahipur Chhak on National Highway-57 under Nuagaon block in this district Monday.
However, 51 other passengers had a narrow escape. The deceased were identified as Tuni Pradhan (35), an ASHA worker of Khalipatna village under Khandapada block, and the bus driver Pramod Kumar Prusty (42) of Mashanijhola village under the same block.
According to sources, the ill-fated bus with 76 students of Binapani coaching centre in Bhagawanpur village under Fategarh police limits had been to Sambalpur two days ago. Due to absence of a lady teacher, the teachers took the ASHA worker to help the girls. The bus had a collision with a truck while returning.
Under the impact of the collision, the bus overturned. Fire brigade personnel rescued the passengers. The injured were admitted to the district headquarters hospital in Nayagarh. Two of the critically injured were shifted to a Bhubaneswar-based hospital as their condition worsened.
Nuagaon police seized the bodies and sent them for post-mortem. A case was registered and investigation was on. PNN
