Ganjam: A tragic road accident early this morning near a Dhaba in Ganjam district left one person dead and more than 15 others injured after a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a truck.

According to reports, the accident occurred when a private bus travelling from Buguda to Puri, collided head-on with a soft drink-laden truck near the dhaba in Kodala. The impact was so severe that the front portions of both vehicles were completely mangled.

Head-on crash in Kodala sparks panic in early morning

The truck driver was reportedly trapped inside the vehicle following the collision and was later declared dead at the hospital.

Over 15 passengers injured in the crash are undergoing treatment at Kodala Community Health Centre. Two critically injured persons, including a minor whose finger was severed and an elderly passenger in serious condition, have been shifted to the MKCG Hospital, Berhampur, for advanced medical care.

Local sources said that several passengers were thrown off balance due to the impact, while emergency teams and locals rushed to the spot to carry out rescue operations.

Uninjured passengers from the bus have since been transported to their respective destinations in other vehicles. Police have reached the accident site and launched an investigation into the cause of the collision.