A picnic trip ended in tragedy after three children lost their lives and 11 others were injured when the bus they were traveling in collided with a truck head-on near Buguda on the Shalabhanga jungle road under Nayagarh’s Daspalla police limits.
The mishap occurred on Friday night when more than 50 students from a coaching centre at Daspalla were on their way to Harishankar and Nrusinghanath in Bolangir for a picnic.
As per reports, the picnic bus collided with a truck near Sahalabhanga jungle leaving three of the picnickers dead.
Following the mishap, the injured children were admitted to hospital for treatment. Out of the 11 injured, four injured children were sent to Daspalla hospital, while seven were sent to Nayagarh District Headquarters Hospital for treatment.
“We were going to Harishankar and Nrusinghnath for a picnic when a truck suddenly hit our bus from the right side. Some children fell down from the sleeper berth above under the impact of the collision,” said a passenger of the bus.
Daspalla MLA, Ramesh Chandra Behera, who was at the hospital to meet the injured said, “These are students of a private coaching institute. A truck hit their bus when they were crossing the Shalabhanga jungle just ahead of Dasapalla. Three bodies have recovered from the spot. Many children are injured in the mishap. Some of them are critical. We have provided them immediate medical service. All the 108 ambulances nearby the area have been pressed into action.”
Nayagarh SP Rahul Jain reached the hospital to see the injured.
The police have launched an inquiry into the accident.