2 critically injured in bus-bike head-on collision in Odisha’s Gajapati

A road accident occurred near Ramagada village in Gajapati district, where a passenger bus collided head-on with a bike, leaving two riders critically injured. Locals acted swiftly to rescue the victims, while police began a probe into the incident on Wednesday.

Also Read: Around 15 persons die every day due to road mishaps: Odisha Minister

According to sources, in the fatal road mishap in Gajapati, a head-on collision occurred between a bike and a private passenger bus, leaving two persons critically injured. The accident occurred near Ramagada on the turning of a road under Mohana police limits.

The private bus was travelling from Berhampur to Umerkote when it hit a bike coming from the opposite direction. Due to the severe impact, all three bike riders fell off the vehicle, sustaining grievous injuries. However, two of them became critical in the incident.

The three injured were identified as Rajkishore Mallick, Rabi Mallick, and Subhendu Mallick — all residents of the Mohana police jurisdiction, a cop of the local station said.

The injured were rescued by some locals and were rushed to a nearby health facility for treatment. “The road mishap occurred last night and residents played a crucial role by rescuing the injured and facilitating their transport to the hospital,” an eyewitness said.

In response to the incident, an enraged crowd stopped the bus and handed it over to the police. Authorities have taken the vehicle into custody and begun a detailed probe.

No comments were received from the injured persons or the local police in this regard.

Worth mentioning, Odisha is grappling with an unsettling escalation in road mishaps, which tragically claim the lives of approximately 15 individuals each day. During a session in the Legislative Assembly, Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena revealed this disturbing data: the daily average of road accidents stands at 31, resulting in approximately 27 injuries.

“People often drive recklessly. No provision is being made to punish them as per law, and awareness campaigns are not being conducted at the ground level. Good drivers are not being created, which is leading to rising road accidents. Crores of rupees are being spent in meetings and conferences but to no avail,” road safety expert Subrat Nanda had previously said.