What could have turned into a major tragedy was averted by sheer luck on Sunday afternoon when a passenger bus lost control and overturned near the Tangi Tollgate.
The bus named “Shri Ganesh”, travelling from Jajpur to Bhubaneswar with around 45 passengers on board, skidded off the road and toppled onto its side just before the toll plaza.
According to Tangi police station officer-in-charge Bikash Sethi, the incident occurred between 2:30 pm and 3 pm. Preliminary investigation points to overspeeding as the primary cause. The vehicle, travelling at high speed, suddenly veered off the road and crashed, completely damaging one side of the bus.
At least seven passengers sustained injuries, with two reported to be in serious condition. Swift action by the Tangi police ensured the injured were immediately shifted to the hospital. Officials confirmed that the condition of all the injured is currently stable.
The uninjured passengers were arranged alternative transport and sent safely to their destinations. However, the driver of the bus fled the scene soon after the accident. Police have detained the conductor for questioning.
“The driver is primarily responsible for the mishap. Whether he was under the influence of alcohol will be ascertained after further investigation,” said Sethi.
The incident has once again highlighted the dangers of overspeeding on busy inter-city routes in Odisha. Authorities continue to probe the exact sequence of events while search efforts for the absconding driver remain underway.
