At least 15 persons, including women and children, were injured after an Odisha government bus turned turtle on Ranipathar ghat near Charichhak on Boudh and Kandhamal border.
The ill-fated OSRTC bus was en route to Angul from Phulbani when the mishap occurred in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Following the mishap, the injured were rescued by the passersby and fire services personnel. They were initially admitted to Charichhak Community Health Centre. But they were later shifted to Phulbani hospital.
The police were informed, but they allegedly reached the place late over an alleged dispute over jurisdiction limits.
Speaking about the accident, the helper of the bus said, "The accident occurred at around 5:40 am. During our journey from the opposite direction yesterday, the driver had told me about a problem in the handling of the bus. He told me the wheels pull sideways when brakes are applied."
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Questions are now raised about the driver’s and the OSRTC’s decision to carry on with the return journey if they knew everything was not right with the bus.