Bhubaneswar: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee on Tuesday expressed sorrow over the loss of five lives in a bus accident which took place in Jajpur district last night.
The accident took place when the West Bengal-bound bus skidded off a flyover on National Highway-16 near Barabati in Jajpur district Monday. The deceased were tourists and said to be natives of the West Bengal.
Expressing concern over the incident, the West Bengal CM took to the X handle and wrote: “Sad to know about the death and injuries of several passengers in a tragic bus accident in Jajpur district of Odisha last night. West Bengal administration has been in 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. West Bengal has been sending officials, materials, ambulances, etc. to the site in Odisha for rescue assistance. Vehicles have been sent to bring back the rescued passengers. Beds have been reserved in Medinipur Medical College.”
She further said that compensation will be paid to the next of kin of the dead and the injured as per rules.
“State administration, Paschim Medinipur, and Purba Medinipur district officials are fully involved in relief assistance. Solidarity to my affected brothers and sisters of Purba Medinipur,” read her post.
According to sources, the West Bengal government has sent a team led by Additional District Magistrate West Midnapore Suman Sourav Mohanty to Cuttack.
“There are about 32 patients from West Bengal. We will take them back as per the advice of the medical authorities here. The team here is very cooperative,” Mohanty told media.