12 killed as 2 buses collide head-on in India's Odisha

NEW DELHI, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Twelve people, including seven of a family, were killed and seven others injured early Monday after a bus carrying them collided head-on with another in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, police said.

The accident took place near Digapahandi in Ganjam district, about 200 km southwest of Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha.

"Early today a private bus carrying members of a marriage party collided head-on with a bus owned by Odisha State Road Transport Corporation near Digapahandi, killing 12 people and injuring seven others," a police official said.

The injured were shifted to Maharaja Krishna Chandra Gajapati Medical College hospital and Digapahandi Hospital. Two of the injured have been shifted to a hospital in Cuttack, according to the official.

According to officials, the private bus was carrying the bridegroom's family and friends who were returning after attending the marriage ceremony.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known.

Police have registered a case and ordered an investigation to ascertain the reason that led to the deadly accident.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed grief over the deaths and expressed sympathy with the bereaved families. He has also announced a compensation of 3,660 U.S. dollars for the next of kin of the deceased.

The local government has also announced cash relief of 366 U.S. dollars for each injured and directed health officials to provide them with medical aid.

Deadly road accidents are common in India often caused due to overloading, bad condition of roads, and reckless driving.

Around 150,000 people are killed every year in about half a million road accidents across India, officials said.

The Indian government has set a target to reduce road accident deaths by 50 percent by 2024.