Nine pilgrims from West Bengal were killed and 10 injured when a truck rammed into a stationary tourist bus near Jamjhadi on National Highway-5 on Tuesday, police said.
A bus carrying about 65 pilgrims from Purusotampur area in East Midnapur of West Bengal was parked alongside the road at Jamjhadi, about 42 km from here, when the truck hit it from the rear, they said.
The passengers were alighting from the bus for refreshment in a nearby roadside eatery when they were crushed to death.
While seven occupants of the bus died on the spot, two of the seriously injured who were immediately taken to nearby Soro hospital succumbed to their injuries.
The dead included three women and the helper of the bus.
While eight of them were identified as Tapan Bera, Ashish Tripathy, Gurupada Sasmal, Laxman Pal, Dipak Si, Samali Si, Kuka Maiti and Abha Maiti, the helper was yet to be identified.
The driver and helper of the lime stone-laden truck fled away from the accident spot.