Cuttack, Dec 31: A tragic road accident occurred near Shakha, Rathgada on State Highway 65, involving a bus and a motorcycle. The head-on collision resulted in the deaths of two bikers, both reportedly from the Athagad area.

The passenger bus was traveling from Athagad to Khuntuni when the bike approached from the opposite direction, leading to the crash. All passengers on the bus were unharmed. The injured bikers were rushed to Athagad Community Health Center, where they were declared dead by doctors.

Athagad police reached the accident site, and an investigation is currently underway.

In  a similar incident, at least three tourists were seriously injured and 15 others sustained minor injuries after a tourist bus met with an accident on National Highway-57 under the Boudh Adarsh police station limits on Tuesday.

According to sources, the bus was travelling along the Raithani–Sarsara road when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The bus hit a large roadside tree and plunged off the road. The vehicle was carrying around 18 tourists from the Banapur area of Khordha district, who were on their way to Sambalpur for darshan of Maa Samaleswari.

Following the accident, all the injured passengers were rushed to the Boudh District Headquarters Hospital. After receiving primary treatment, the tourists were sent back to their respective places in another vehicle.