Post News Network
Dhenkanal, Sept 29: Two persons including a Class II girl were killed and nine others injured when a bus rammed an auto-rickshaw carrying school children at Satamaile square on Hindol- Gudiakateni road in Dhenkanal district Tuesday.
The mishap happened when the auto-rickshaw was on its way to Panchmaile with the students of Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir at Khajuriakata to drop them at their houses.
Auto driver Kalia Sahu (30) of Sarasingh village and Swarnalakshmi Behera (7), daughter of Dushmant Behera of Rajmohanpur village died on the spot. Swarnalakshmi was sitting on the front seat near the driver when the mishap occurred.
The other 11 students travelling in the auto-rickshaw sustained critical injuries. Police and fire personnel rescued the injured students and admitted them to Hindol hospital from where nine critical students were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
Locals claimed the auto driver had consumed liquor and was talking on his mobile phone when the mishap occurred. The accident triggered tension in the area even as villagers blocked the road at Satamaile square for hours. They relented after police and Hindol block officials intervened and disbursed `10,000 each to the next of kin of the deceased.