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47 killed in Orissa road accident

In one of Orissa's worst road mishaps, 47 people were killed and over 20 critically injured when an overcrowded bus fell into River Mahanadi near Cuttack Thursday morning.

Though police and hospital sources confirmed only 36 deaths, unofficial sources placed the toll at 50.

The bus, headed to Cuttack from Korua in Kendrapara district, carried 100-odd passengers when it plunged into the river after a front tyre burst mid-way on the 3-km Mahanadi bridge.

Eyewitnesses said that as the driver fought to bring the vehicle under control, another bus collided from behind, pushing it into the river upside down. They said the bus had some 20 people on its roof. A few of the passenger swam to safety.

Twenty-year-old Ramesh Behera, an injured who swam to safety after breaking the rear glass, said the condition of the bus was bad. A front tyre had been replaced in Salepur.

"I heard a sound, probably of the tyre bursting, before we careened into the river," he said.

The injured have been admitted to the S C B medical college hospital.

While the fate of the driver and cleaner are unknown, the conductor has been admitted to the hospital in critical condition.

Kumar, an engineer with the Uttar Pradesh Bridge Construction Corporation, the first person to reach the accident site with a country boat, said he and a group of locals retrieved about 40 bodies. He alleged that the police and fire brigade took nearly 45 minutes to reach the spot.

The bus, meanwhile, has been pulled out of the river.

The accident disrupted national highway 5 between Cuttack and Jagatpur.

Chief Minister J B Patnaik has announced an ex-gratia of Rs10,000 to the next of kin of those killed, and Rs 5000 and Rs 1000 to the injured.

State Revenue Minister Jagannath Pattnaik, who visited the SCB hospital, ordered the Cuttack district collector to inquire into the incident.

UNI

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