Bhubaneswar Ama Bus Driver Arrested After Fatal Rupali Square Collision
A driver operating an Ama Bus service was taken into custody by police on Saturday evening. This followed a severe morning accident at the congested Rupali Square junction in Bhubaneswar, which resulted in the death of an auto-rickshaw driver and left two passengers wounded.
Details of the Tragic Collision
According to authorities and eyewitness accounts, the tragic event unfolded when the bus, reportedly moving at high speed, crashed into a stationary auto-rickshaw. The auto was waiting for the traffic signal to change at the junction. The impact was so forceful that the three-wheeler was propelled forward, colliding with a school bus parked ahead.
The auto-rickshaw driver, identified as 62-year-old Vishnu Patro from Binjharpur in Jajpur district, died instantly at the scene. One of the passengers, 21-year-old student Namita Pradhan, suffered a fractured hand and a minor head injury. The other passenger, Ramani Nayak, escaped with minor scratches.
Police officials stated that the bus driver, 55-year-old Sachitra Kumar Sahoo, failed to provide a clear explanation for the cause of the crash. "The CCTV footage clearly shows the bus hitting the stationary auto-rickshaw from behind," a police representative confirmed. Following the incident, Sahoo and the bus conductor allegedly fled but the driver was later apprehended.
Public Outrage and Official Response
Angered by the incident, local residents vandalised the involved bus. Their frustration extended to two other Ama Buses that passed through the area at the time, which were also damaged. A police team from Saheed Nagar, along with Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena, quickly arrived at Rupali Square. The injured woman was promptly taken to a hospital by police.
The Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), which manages the Ama Bus service, announced financial aid for the victims. The organization pledged Rs 2 lakh as compensation to the family of the deceased auto driver and Rs 50,000 to each injured passenger. In a statement, CRUT added that officials were coordinating with other government departments to secure further assistance for the victim's next of kin.
In a concerning follow-up, another Ama Bus was involved in a minor collision with a motorcyclist at the same junction later on Saturday. Fortunately, no serious injuries or significant damage were reported from this second event.
Rising Safety Concerns and Past Incidents
This fatal accident has reignited serious debates about citizen safety on Bhubaneswar's roads. This marks the third fatal incident involving an Ama Bus within a single month. On December 26, a biker was knocked down by an Ama Bus on the Bharatpur-Chandaka Road. Earlier, on December 5, another biker was struck by a bus near Satsang Vihar.
Road safety activist PV Raman expressed deep concern, noting, "The frequency of accidents involving Ama Buses is truly alarming. The city bus service, once celebrated as the best in Odisha, is now becoming notorious for the accidents caused by its vehicles."
The arrested bus driver, Sachitra Kumar Sahoo, has been formally charged under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The investigation into the precise causes of the crash is ongoing.
