Balasore: Driver of a tourist bus, carrying pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh, died as the vehicle rammed into a road divider early Sunday morning on National Highway-16 near Bidu Bazar under Soro police limits in Odisha’s Balasore district.
According to sources, the bus was transporting around 50 pilgrims from Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh. They had been visiting religious sites in West Bengal, including areas around Kolkata and Digha, and were reportedly continuing their journey toward Puri when the mishap took place around 5.30 am.
On being informed, police and fire services personnel rushed to the spot and rescued the trapped passengers from the mangled bus. The injured were shifted to Soro community health centre.
It is being suspected that the driver, identified as K. Venkateswar (54), might have dozed off at the wheel, causing the vehicle to veer off and crash into the highway divider. However, the exact cause of the crash is yet to be ascertained.
Police have registered a case and started an investigation into the incident.
