Bhubaneswar: A woman passenger from Odisha was charred to death after a Paradip-bound bus caught fire on the National Highway near Kharagpur in West Bengal last night.
The deceased has been identified as Pushpanjali Das, a native of Kendrapara district.
She was burnt alive in the fire while traveling to home with her husband and son for Diwali.
Over 30 passengers were travelling in the bus out of which 16 passengers from Kendrapada, two from Paradip.
Video footage showed plumes of smoke rising into the sky after the bus was engulfed in inferno. The cause of the mishap is not known immediately.
All the injured have been admitted to Medinapur Medical College and Hospital and Kharagpur Hospital.
The bus had left for Paradip from Babughat of Kolkata last night.
On getting information, Balasore Collector sent an ambulance and medical team to the spot. Jaleswar Tehsildar also rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.
Some injured passengers from Odisha have been brought back to the State in a special bus.