Woman passenger, auto driver crushed to death by Ama Bus in Bhubaneswar

Two people, including a woman, were killed on the spot after an Ama Bus rammed into an auto-rickshaw at Rupali Square in Bhubaneswar on Saturday noon. Sources reported the bus hit an auto-rickshaw from behind while vehicles were halted at the busy traffic junction. 

The auto-rickshaw was positioned behind a school bus when the collision took place. The impact was so severe that the rickshaw was crushed into mangled debris and pushed forward, hitting the rear portion of the school bus and causing damage to it as well. 

The auto driver and a woman passenger died instantly at the scene.

Eyewitnesses Allege Reckless Driving

Eyewitnesses squarely blamed the Ama Bus driver for the crash, alleging negligence and failure to stop at the traffic signal.

“The bus driver is at fault. Both the auto and the school bus were stopped at the traffic square. The Ama Bus came from behind at speed and hit the vehicles. Two innocent lives were lost,” an eyewitness said, adding that the driver and conductor fled the scene immediately after the accident.

Following the incident, tension gripped the area as locals gathered at the spot, protesting against recurring accidents involving Ama Buses. Police rushed to the scene and initiated crowd-control measures while attempting to pacify the agitated residents.

Police Action And Traffic Disruption

Source added that police officials cordoned off the accident site to facilitate recovery of the bodies, while traffic was diverted to prevent further congestion at the junction. As of the last reports, the Ama Bus driver and conductor were absconding, and efforts were underway to trace them.

Also Read: Group clash erupts in Bhubaneswar, 2 youths critically injured

Series Of Ama Bus-Related Incidents

The fatal crash at Rupali Square adds to a growing list of serious incidents involving Ama Buses in Bhubaneswar and surrounding areas.

Earlier in December, a young motorbike rider was killed at Satsang Vihar under Sahid Nagar police limits after an Ama Bus allegedly ran over him. Eyewitnesses in that case said the bus hit the motorcycle, throwing the rider under its wheels and killing him on the spot. The incident had led to protests by local residents, prompting police intervention and a preliminary inquiry.

In another incident on August 21, panic broke out after an Ama Bus caught fire on National Highway-16 near Gadakharada Square in Khordha district. The bus, travelling from Jagatpur in Cuttack towards Rameswar, was completely gutted. All passengers escaped without injuries.

Awaiting Official Response

At the time of filing of this report, no official comment was available from the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) authorities, which operate the Ama Bus service, on the Rupali Square accident.