4 tourists from UP dead, 23 injured as tourist bus overturns in Odisha

At least four tourists, including a woman, were killed and 23 others injured after the bus in which they were travelling from Uttar Prtadesh overturned on national highway (NH)-16 in Balasore district of Odisha late Friday night.

Police officials in Balasore said 57 tourists from Uttar Pradesh were on their way to visit the Jagannath temple in Puri town when it overturned near Jaleswar by-pass, rolling 20 feet down the road. The mishap left 23 injured, of whom 17 are stated to be critical. The critically injured pilgrims were shifted to the Balasore District Headquarters Hospital, while others were admitted to Jaleswar’s JK Bhattacharya Hospital.

The deceased have been identified as Rajesh Mishra, Santaram Yadav, Kamala Devi Yadav and Rajprasad Yadav.

Jaleswar sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Dilip Sahoo said the bus capsized between 1pm and 1.30 pm near Madhuban dhaba on NH-16. “Police rushed to the scene and immediately conducted rescue operations with the help of fire brigade officials, locals and media persons. The deceased have been identified, and their families are being informed. The exact reason behind the mishap is yet to be determined. We suspect the driver may have dozed off, causing the bus to overturn,” said Sahoo.

The bus had left from UP on September 18, visiting Bihar and Jharkhand before heading to Puri.