Berhampur: Six persons, including four women from West Bengal, died while over 40 sustained injuries after a tourist bus overturned at Kalinga Ghat near Durgaprasad under Bhanjanagar police limits in Odisha’s Ganjam district late on Tuesday.
According to sources, the accident took place as the driver failed to negotiate a sharp turn and hit an electric pole before turning turtle due to a brake failure while en route Visakhapatnam after the tourists from Udaynarayanpur area in Howrah visited Daringbadi in Kandhamal district. A total of 77 persons were onboard.
Teams from Bhanjanagar and G Udayagiri police rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation. Later fire service personnel were also pressed into action. The rescue operation continued till Wednesday morning.
The deceased have been identified as Supriya Denre, Sanjeet Patra, Rima Denre, Mausumi Denra, Barnali Manna and a cook.
The injured were admitted to a local hospital for treatment. Among them, 14 were shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur due to their critical health condition.
While Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has mourned the death of tourists, transport minister Padmanabha Behera has ordered a probe into the circumstances leading to the accident.
