Berhampur: A head-on collision between a bus and oil tanker claimed five lives Hinjilicut tehsil of Odisha’s Ganjam district in the early hours of Thursday.
Over 20 other sustained critical injuries as the oil tanker rammed into a tea stall following the collision.
According to sources, the accident took place at Samarjhola Chhak around 5.30 am when the bus en route to Berhampur from Aska collided head-on with the oil tanker, which then veered off under its impact and crashed into a roadside tea stall. The deceased include three people having tea at the stall and two passengers of the bus. Their identity is yet to be ascertained.
On being informed, police reached the spot and started a rescue operations. All the injured have been admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital here.
Collector Dibyajyoti Parida said so far 13 critically injured are admitted to the orthopaedic ward. While the injured are clinically stable, one of them needed amputation of a leg, hospital sources said.
Expressing brief over the accident, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia each for the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for those critically injured.