Puri: A major tragedy was averted after a tourist bus travelling from Madhya Pradesh met with an accident on the Bhubaneswar–Puri National Highway in Odisha today. As many as six female passengers sustained injuries, one of them critically, after the vehicle rammed into an electric pole near Teisipur Chhak within Pipili police limits. 

As per reports, the bus was carrying more than 20 passengers, including six women. All of them were on their way to Puri to have darshan of Lord Jagannath when the vehicle lost control, veered off the road and crashed into an electric pole.

Hearing the sound of the crash, local residents rushed to the spot and informed the police and emergency services. The injured passengers were rescued from the damaged vehicle and shifted to a nearby hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment.

Police begin probe

Upon receiving the information, Pipili Police reached the accident site, seized the bus, and cleared the highway by removing the vehicle with the help of a crane. An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.Traffic on the busy national highway was briefly disrupted following the mishap but was later restored after the damaged bus was removed. Police have appealed to drivers, especially those operating passenger vehicles, to exercise caution and adhere to speed limits on the highway to prevent such accidents in the future.

In another related development, a driver had a narrow escape affter his vehicle turned turtle near Ghatagaon bypass in Keonjhar district.

Further details are awaited. 

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