A journey of faith turned into a nightmare on Saturday morning when a private tourist bus carrying pilgrims met with a fatal accident in Odisha’s Nayagarh district. The bus, named ‘Maa Singheswari’, overturned near the treacherous Pithakhai Ghat under the Dashapalla police station limits, leading to the death of 5 passengers and leaving 40 others injured.

Sequence of Events: According to official reports, the bus was navigating the sharp curves of the hilly Pithakhai terrain when the driver reportedly lost control over the steering wheel. The vehicle veered off the road and flipped onto its side near the edge of a deep gorge. Most of the passengers were reportedly asleep when the incident occurred, leading to widespread chaos and severe injuries.

Rescue Operations: Local villagers were the first to respond to the victims’ screams, launching an immediate rescue mission before the Dashapalla police and Fire Services personnel arrived. Emergency responders had to use heavy machinery to stabilize the bus and extract trapped passengers. Out of the 45 passengers onboard, 5 were declared dead at the scene. The 40 injured pilgrims were rushed to the Dashapalla Medical and Nayagarh District Headquarters Hospital. Doctors have noted that at least 10 individuals are in critical condition and are being shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for specialized care.

Police have registered a case and are investigating whether mechanical failure or driver fatigue caused the crash. The state government has expressed deep condolences and directed the district administration to provide the best possible medical aid to the survivors.