A devastating accident in Odisha's Ganjam district claimed the lives of five people and left 12 others injured on Thursday morning. The incident took place on National Highway 59 at Samarjhola near Hinjili, where a tanker overturned onto a roadside tea stall after a head-on collision with a bus.
According to the police, four people died instantly, while a fifth victim succumbed to injuries during treatment at the hospital. The bus was en route from Bhawanipatna to Berhampur, and the tanker was headed towards Aska when the collision occurred.
Among the deceased, one person was a bus passenger, and the other four were seated at the tea stall at the time of the accident, the police said.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed his grief over the incident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased. Additionally, he declared Rs 1 lakh compensation for those seriously injured in the accident.
The injured were quickly transported to MKCG Medical College and Hospital for treatment. Ganjam District Collector Divya Jyoti Parida confirmed that five people had died as a result of the crash, but the identities of the deceased were still being verified.
A police team, along with firefighters, cleared the highway to restore traffic flow after the accident. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
(With inputs from PTI)
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