**Angul:** In a tragic accident, six persons were killed and 36 injured when a bus fell off a bridge in Angul district, police said on Tuesday.
Three passengers were died on the spot while three others succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
According to reports, a passenger bus has fallen down from a bridge after the bus hit a motor bike near Tukuda under Jarapada PS on NH55 in the district.
The bus hit a motorcycle near Tukuda, about 20 km from Angul, on National Highway-55 before it fell 15 feet off the bridge, said police. The motorcyclist was among the dead.
Angul SP Kabita Jalan has confirmed OMMCOM NEWS that there were more than 30 passengers in the bus and there have been several casualties. The SP has rushed to the spot to carry out rescue operation.
The bus named Janhamamu was on its way from Angul to Athamallick when it met with this accident. The motor bike rider which hit the bus had died on the spot. The bus has fallen some 15 feet down the bridge into the canal.
“Police has reached to the spot. Rescue operations are on. The bus has fallen down to around 25-30 feet. Five are dead and several are injured. Many are trapped underneath the bus and are being rescued,” informed Sushanta Kumar Behera, MLA, Chhendipada talking to OMMCOM NEWS.
14 of the injured have been admitted to the Angul District Headquarters Hospital. The 32 critically injured are shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack for treatment, as per the official sources. 15 ambulances have beeen alloted for this task.
CM Naveen Patnaik has announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakhs for the kin of the deceased.
The ill fated bus was reportedly over-crowded when it met with the accident. Officials say it had a valid fitness certificate till 2017.
This is the second such incident in the district. On 9th of Sept a similar accident had taken place near Athamallick in which 19 passengers lost their lives.
Meanwhile, Angul Collector informed that a 3-member committee has been formed to probe into the incident and will submit its report by tomorrow.
Angul Sub Collector, SDPO and RTO are the members of the probe committee.
