At least 12 people died while several others were injured after two buses collided head-on under Digapahandi police limit in Odisha’s Ganjam district on Sunday night. The injured have been shifted to a hospital and investigation into the case has been launched, Ganjam District Magistrate Dibya Jyoti Parida told news agency ANI. Injured people were undergoing treatment at MKCG Medical College in Berhampur, the report added. 


"Two buses collided in which 10 people died. The injured were immediately admitted to MKCG Medical College for treatment. Investigation into the case is underway. We are trying to provide all possible help to the injured," Parida said. 


Taking cognisance of the incident, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the loss of life and announced ex gratia of Rupees 3 lakh for the deceased, said the Chief Minister’s Office on Monday. 


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“Chief Minister Shri @Naveen_Odisha expressed grief after learning about the bus accident in Ganjam and expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families. In addition, the Chief Minister has announced ex-gratia assistance of Rs. 3 lakh from the relief fund ₹ for the next of kin of the deceased,” CMO tweeted in Odia. 


Patnaik also directed free medical treatment to the injured, the CMO added. 


“Finance Minister Vikram Arukh and Ganjam DPCC Chairman MLA Vikram Panda have ordered to immediately go to the spot and provide assistance to the victims,” it said. 


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In addition, the Chief Minister wished for the speedy recovery of all the injured in the accident.


The incident comes just weeks after the state witnessed a major train tragedy in which at least 280 people were killed and over 900 injured. 


On the night of June 2, three trains — Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, SMVT Bengaluru–Howrah SF Express, and a freight train — collided after Coromandel Express derailed near Bahanaga railway station in Odisha’s Balasore district in one of the deadliest train accidents in the country.