Bhubaneswar: At least seven persons from Ganjam district were killed after a bus carrying them along with some other labourers met with an accident near Cherikhedi in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur district 3.30 am Saturday.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed deep grief and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and free treatment for the injured in the tragic bus mishap.
The CM has also asked Rural Development and Labour Minister Susanta Singh to visit the victims in Raipur. He also asked Odisha DGP Abhay to be in touch with his counterpart in Chhattisgarh in this regard.
According to a report, about 50 to 60 passengers, mostly labourers, were going to Surat from Ganjam in a bus. As the bus neared Cherikhedi, it collided head-on with a truck.
While seven passengers died on the spot, another one died while undergoing treatment. All the injured passengers are undergoing treatment at nearby Ambedkar Hospital. The health condition of at least six injured passengers is said to be critical.
The identities of the deceased and injured persons are yet to be ascertained.
PNN