Bhubaneswar: At least 35 pilgrims from Odisha’s Balasore sustained injuries as the bus in which they were travelling to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh met with an accident near Mathani on the Bihar-Uttar Pradesh border.
The condition of three of the pilgrims was stated to be critical following the accident that took place in the wee hours of Thursday.
Sources said some residents of Chandaneswar village under Bhograi block in Balasore district were proceeding to the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh Mela when their bus met with the mishap around 12.50 am.
The bus rammed into a stationary sand-laden truck from behind as the driver was suspected to have fallen asleep, said a passenger on the bus.
The driver of the bus, identified as Sriram Ji, reportedly fled the scene, leaving the passengers stranded.
Some locals rescued the injured passengers and admitted them to the hospital for treatment. The critically injured person is shifted to the ICU department of the hospital.
Meanwhile, police is said to have started an investigation into the matter and have launched a search operation to trace the driver, who absconded soon after the mishap.
