Koraput: As many as 28 persons sustained injuries, after a passenger bus collided head-on with a wood-laden truck on National Highway-326 near Dumuripadar bridge under Laxmipur police limits in Koraput district on Wednesday morning.
After receiving first aid, nine injured individuals felt relief. Seven critically injured people, along with five others, were transferred to the Community Health Center (CHC).
The critically injured have been identified as bus driver Santosh Badria, helper Malik Khasla, conductor Munna Panda, passengers Sumati Reet, Sitaram Khara, Pintu Khara, and the truck driver.
The accident reportedly happened as the passenger bus was travelling from Rayagada to Jeypore in Koraput. It collided with a truck carrying wood on the National Highway. The injured were promptly rescued and transported to various hospitals in the district.
The national highway was blocked from approximately 8 am to 12 pm due to the accident. Officials including IIC Sugyani Sahu, Subinspector Manas Pradhan, BDO Gureshwar Bhoi, and Tehsildar Naivedya Bhoi arrived at the scene and facilitated the removal of both vehicles, after which normalcy was restored. The accident occurred at eight in the morning.
Staff from Laccmi Bus, returning from Bhitargarh, provided assistance at the scene. They rescued the injured and admitted them to the Laxmipur Community Health Centre. The truck driver was trapped inside; despite efforts by the Laxmipur Fire Department to cut through the iron, they were initially unsuccessful. Eventually, they acquired an iron-cutting machine from ARSS company, extricated the driver, and transported him to Koraput by ambulance.
