Close shave for Odia pilgrims as truck hits bus in Vellore

Bhubaneswar: Around 30 senior citizens from Odisha who were on a pilgrimage had a close shave today after a bus in which they were travelling met with an accident in Vellore of Tamil Nadu.

All of them sustained minor injuries and left for their destination soon after the first aid, sources said.

The incident occurred when the pilgrim-laden bus was stationary at a traffic square and a truck hit it from behind, Odisha Tourism Minister Ashok Panda said. All are safe now. They have now visited the Laxmi Narayan temple in Vellore, he added.

All the pilgrims are from Rayagada district of Odisha.

The senior citizens are on a pilgrimage under State government’s Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana. They had boarded a special train arranged by State government from Berhampur on January 4.