5 dead, 40 injured as Bengal-bound bus falls off bridge in Odisha’s Jajpur
The incident took place around 9 pm on Barabati bridge on NH-16, when the bus with about 45 passengers was en route to West Bengal from Puri
A bus fell off a bridge in Odisha’s Jajpur district on Monday (April 15) evening, killing five persons and injuring around 40.
The incident took place around 9 pm on Barabati bridge on NH-16, when the bus with about 45 passengers was en route to West Bengal from Puri, said officials. According to the police, the driver lost control of the vehicle, which resulted in the accident.
Most passengers from Bengal
“Four men and a woman have died in the accident. Around 40 people were injured, and they were taken to Cuttack SCB Medical College,” said Tapan Kumar Naik, inspector in charge of Dharamshala Police Station.
SP Vinit Agrawal said the deceased are yet to be identified and that most of the passengers hailed from West Bengal.
Nikhil Pavan Kalyan, Collector and District Magistrate of Jajpur, said gas cutters were used to cut through the metal and rescue the passengers from the bus.
Rs 3 lakh each for kin of deceased
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the deaths and announced ex-gratia payment of Rs 3 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.
Transport Commissioner Amitav Thakur said the bus was bound for Haldia in West Bengal.
“We have formed a team of doctors for treatment. The injured, including women and children, are being brought to Cuttack with the help of 16 ambulances. The rescue operation has ended as the bus was lifted with a crane,” he said.
Help from Bengal
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed grief over the bus accident and said her government would provide assistance to those affected.
She announced that compensation would be paid to the next of kin of those originating from West Bengal killed in the accident and injured people as per rules.
The CM also said that the state administration was sending officials, materials, and ambulances to the accident site in Odisha for assistance.
Mamata’s post
“Sad to know about the death and injuries of several passengers in a tragic bus accident in Jajpur district of Odisha last night,” Banerjee posted on X.
“West Bengal administration has been on rescue and assistance mode from the very beginning. The bus was bound for our state and some of the dead and many of the injured have been ours.
"Vehicles have been sent to bring back the rescued passengers,” she said, extending “solidarity to my affected brothers and sisters of Purba Medinipur”.
Beds ready
Banerjee also said, “Beds have been reserved in Medinipur Medical College. Compensation will be paid to the next of kin of the dead and the injured as per rules.”
The state administration, Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur district officials are fully involved in relief assistance, the Bengal CM added.
(With agency inputs)