8 hurt as bus carrying migrants from Kerala to Bengal hit by truck in Odisha

Balasore (Odisha): At least eight persons were injured when a bus carrying West Bengal-bound migrants, who were stranded in Kerala due to the lockdown, was hit by a truck in Odisha's Balasore district on Sunday, police said.

The accident took place a day after another bus from Kerala carrying migrants to West Bengal overturned near here on Saturday, leaving seven persons injured.

The fresh mishap occurred when the truck rammed into the rear of the bus, carrying 30 passengers from Kerala's Ernakulam to West Bengal's Murshidabad, on the National Highway 60 at Basta, about 30 km from here, a police officer said.

At least eight persons were injured after the truck dashed against the bus in an apparent bid to overtake it, Inspector In-charge of Basta police station, Manas Kumar Deo, said.

The injured persons were admitted to a hospital and their condition is stated to be stable, he said.

The unhurt passengers have been kept in a temporary camp and provided with food, water and other necessities, the officer said.

The passengers, who were engaged in various establishments in Kerala, were returning to their homes in different places in West Bengal after remaining stranded in the southern state due to the lockdown, he said.

The authorities concerned in West Bengal have been informed about the accident and arrangements are being made to send the migrants to their destinations in another bus, the officer added.