Odisha: Driver killed, 9 injured as bus carrying pilgrims rams into overbridge wall

The driver of an Andhra Pradesh-bound bus carrying pilgrims from West Bengal died and nine passengers suffered injuries when the vehicle rammed into the wall of an overbridge on National Highway 16 in Odishas Balasore district on Friday, police said.

The driver of an Andhra Pradesh-bound bus carrying pilgrims from West Bengal died and nine passengers suffered injuries when the vehicle rammed into the wall of an overbridge on National Highway 16 in Odisha's Balasore district on Friday, police said. The accident took place at Bahanaga Bazaar in the early hours, with the driver suspected to have dozed off while driving, a police officer said. The impact of the collision was so severe that the driver was thrown out of the vehicle through the smashed windscreen and he fell from the overpass onto the road below, dying on the spot, Khantapada police station inspector-in-charge Anurag Mohanty said, adding the deceased hailed from Andhra Pradesh. The front portion of the bus was severely damaged, he said. At least 40 passengers were on board the bus. The nine injured persons were taken to Khantapara community health centre, where they were administered first aid and released. Locals rescued the passengers before the arrival of police and fire service personnel. Bahanaga had witnessed a major train accident on June 2, 2023, in which 297 people were killed and over 1,200 others were injured.

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