Jagatpur police have registered a case against the driver of the ill-fated bus that fell off the Mahanadi bridge here on Tuesday evening, killing ten persons and injuring 35. A joint probe has also started into the accident.
Police believe that the driver of the bus lost control over the vehicle trying to save a buffalo that was standing on its way. However, they will also ascertain if the driver was speeding.
Deputy commissioner of police Akhileswar Singh said a case was registered at the Jagatpur police station on Wednesday against the driver of the bus under sections 279 and 304A of the Indian Penal Code for alleged rash driving and causing death and grievous hurt by negligence.
Singh said the case was registered on the basis of an eyewitness account by Kulamani Behera of Tarolo in Jagatpur police station area.
“Around 6.45 pm on Tuesday, one bus named Jagannath was coming from Talcher side. In the middle of the Mahanadi river bridge, driver Khageswar Muduli hit a buffalo due to excessive speed and then fell off the bridge losing balance,” Singh said.
“The death toll is 10 and all the bodies were handed over to their family members after post-mortem on Wednesday. Hearses were provided for carrying the bodies,” he said.
Assistant commissioner of police Trinath Mishra said a joint investigation by a three-member team also started on Wednesday. The team included regional transport officer Diptiranjan Patra, inspector in charge of Jagatpur police station Biranchi Narayan Pati and National Highways Authority of India official D.P. Das.
Private bus owners, however, have blamed the NHAI for failing to keep the highway free from stray cattle and failing to install speed breakers at strategic points.
Muduli, who is one of the critically injured survivors, has been admitted to the intensive care unit in the trauma care ward of SCB Medical College and Hospital. Upendra Kumar Sahoo, 43, of Dhenkanal and Mustakim Khan, 32, of Mehendipir are also undergoing treatment in the same ward with serious injuries.
SCB emergency officer Bhubanananda Maharana said: “Doctors from the orthopaedic, surgery, neurosurgery and cardio-thoracic departments are attending to 42 injured patients. Seven of them are in ICU with critical injuries.”
Governor Ganeshi Lal, who visited the accident victims at SCB on Wednesday, directed the hospital administration to take all possible steps to save their lives.
SCB fire
A fire broke out in the hepatology wing of SCB on Wednesday triggering panic among the patients and attendants. However, no one was hurt.
The bus that broke the railings and fell into the riverbed. Badrika Nath Das
