NEW DELHI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least three persons were killed and more than 20 others injured in a road accident in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, police said on Monday.
"The accident occurred when a private bus in which the victims were travelling collided head-on with a speeding oil tanker on national highway 57 near Sarua in Khurda district, some 40 km from state capital Bhubaneshwar," a senior police official said.
While three passengers of the bus died on the spot, those injured have been admitted to the the district headquarters hospital by local resident, the official said. "Out of 20 injured, the condition of some 10 are said to be serious," he added.
Eye-witnesses told cops that the oil tanker was travelling at high speed and its driver lost control of the vehicle and hit the bus, which was going towards Banki from Bhubaneshwar.
"A probe has been ordered into the incident and a manhunt launched to track down the driver of the tanker who fled the spot after the accident. We will also take the statement of the injured bus driver once he is out of the hospital," the official said.
India has the highest number of road fatalities in the world. Road accidents occur mostly due to poor driving or badly maintained roads and vehicles.
