Bhubaneswar: Over 30 passengers were injured, some of them seriously, after a bus on its way from Bhubaneswar to Aska collided with a lorry on National Highway 16, early on Sunday morning. The accident occurred near Langaleswar Chhak in Aska.
According to locals, the Balunkeswar bus smashed into the lorry from behind. The front portion of the bus suffered significant damage. The driver and his assistant fled the scene, leaving the passengers to fend for themselves.
On receiving information, authorities rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to the Khallikote Medical Centre for treatment. A probe has also been launched and efforts are on to trace the driver and his assistant.
“We will have to find out who was driving the bus. In many such accidents, it has been found that the helper takes over the wheel when the driver sleeps, particularly early in the morning or late at night. If it was the driver who was at the wheel, we will have to find out if he fell asleep,” a police officer said.
The stretch of NH-16 where the accident occurred is known to be extremely congested. Locals have pointed to frequent accidents and asked the authorities to take measures to protect the lives of passengers.
