8 victims of Odisha bus accident consigned to flames together

It was a heart-rending scene at Dangalpadu village in Ganjam district as the bodies of eight people were consigned to flames together. They were among the ten persons who were killed after a bus carrying them came in contact with an 11-KV live wire near Mandrajpur on Sunday afternoon.

Another body was taken by the family members of the deceased for cremation to Bada Chandanbada, a nearby village on Sunday night, while an 11-year-old boy who had been sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition, was declared brought dead at the medical facility in Cuttack. A pall of gloom descended on the sleepy village where a large number of people had gathered to console the family members and relatives of those killed in the accident.

Residents of nearby areas also thronged Dangalapadu to assist the locals in performing the last rites of their near and dear ones on Sunday night. "For the first time I was witness to such a heartbreaking scene when eight bodies were cremated together at the village cremation ground," said K Rameya, an 80-year-old villager.

The villagers were in a state of shock with many of them suddenly bursting into loud wails and screams. "When my daughter boarded the bus, she was very happy as she was going to attend the marriage negotiation ceremony of a villager. Now I cannot believe that my daughter is no more," said Gopal Sahu, whose 12-year-old daughter Santoshini died in the accident.

"My mother, B Laxmi, was going to attend the function. She was severely injured in the accident and referred to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

"I am praying as she is fighting for her survival," said Kunti, B Laxmi's daughter. Adequate police personnel were deployed in the village to assist the family members of the deceased in performing the last rites, said Sub Divisional Police Officer, Berhampur Sadar, Jayant Kumar Mohapatra.

Ten people, including six women, were electrocuted and burnt to death while 22 injured when their bus came in contact with the power transmission line. While five persons died on the spot, five others were declared dead at MKCG Medical College and Hospital here and at SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack, Ganjam District Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange and Berhampur Superintendent of Police Pinak Mishra had said.

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