Ambulance mishap: Naveen announces Rs 1L ex-gratia to each family of dead

Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today announced ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh each to the family of those died in an ambulance accident in Vishakhapatnam yesterday.

The medical expenses of all the injured undergoing treatment in the neighboring state will also be borne by the Odisha government, Patnaik announced.

Four members of a family including an infant from Balasore and the driver of the ambulance, in which they were travelling, died when the van fell into a culvert and overturned, near Elamanchili on the NH 16, around 60 km away from Vishakhapatnam on Sunday.

Three including the driver died on the spot while the infant and another succumbed to injuries at King George Hospital (KGH) in Visakhapatnam.

The shocking incident took place when 10 members of the family along with the driver were returning to their native place at Aruhabruti village under Bhograi block in Balasore from Hyderabad in an ambulance carrying the body of their grandfather.

The deceased were identified as Ravikumar, Jaga, Pavitra Giri and Manithi and driver Venkat Ramana.

The other five critically injured are undergoing treatment at King George Hospital.