Three killed, 35 hurt in tourist bus mishap

JEYPORE: Three persons including a minor were killed and 35 suffered injuries after a tourist bus overturned and fell into a gorge near Sukunala within Boipariguda police limits in Koraput district on Sunday morning.

Police identified the deceased as bus driver Ranjan Mohanty (59) of Balikuda in Jagatsinghpur, Bhagyasree Mohapatra (21) and Somanath Prusti (6), both of Cuttack. All the injured persons are also from Cuttack.

Sources said over 40 tourists from Cuttack were on way to Gupteswar in a private bus. Near Sukunala, the driver reportedly lost control of the bus and the vehicle fell into a roadside gorge. Mohanty, Mohapatra and Prusti were killed on the spot.