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Sundargarh: Four people died and more than 20 others sustained injuries after a bus collided head-on with an iron-laden truck on National Highway-143 near Musabira village under Chandiposh police limits in Odisha’s Sundargarh district on Tuesday night.

According to sources, the accident took place around 9:10 pm when the bus, travelling from Rourkela to Mangalpur in Jajpur district, veered across the road divider, resulting in a severe head-on crash with the truck coming from the opposite direction, after the driver lost control over the vehicle, near Chandiposh village, about 2 km from Chandiposh police station, and crashed into a Hyva truck coming from the opposite direction near Chandiposh village.

On being informed, Chandiposh police reached the spot and rescued the injured passengers with help of locals by breaking open the emergency door of the bus. While ambulances were called, firefighters used gas cutters to extricate the body of the truck driver and the critically injured helper of the truck, as well as two bus drivers and a helper after much effort from the mangled remains of the vehicles. The front portion of the bus was completely damaged in the crash.

While two persons died on the spot, two others later succumbed to injuries at a hospital.

The deceased have been identified as Manas Ranjan Panda (35), bus driver and resident of Mandarkhand village under Nandipur panchayat in Jajpur’s Dasarathpur block, Niranjan Rout (53), second driver, from Purunasahi village under Malikapur panchayat in Jajpur’s Dasarathpur block. Shiva Prasad Nayak (52), bus helper from Bajrapat village under Mangalpur panchayat. The truck driver was a native of Bihar.

Sources further stated that over 20 injured passengers were taken to Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) and the nearby Lahunipada hospital for treatment. The bus conductor, Akshaya Gedi (47) of Khandara panchayat, suffered critical injuries, including a head injury and a fractured left arm. At least five of the injured passengers are reported to be in serious condition. Two minor children, aged 2 and 6 years, who sustained minor injuries, are undergoing treatment at RGH. A special medical team has been formed for their treatment.

Vehicular movement, which was severely affected last night, was later restored after the damaged vehicles were moved to the roadside.

Police have contacted the bus owner, who hails from Jajpur, and launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident. “Both the bus and Hyva truck have been seized by us and we are investigating under what circumstances the bus jumped the divider and crashed into the truck,” Chandiposh police station IIC S Khamari was quoted as saying.