Chhattisgarh Bus Accident: 5 Dead, 87 Injured After Bus Plunge In Gorge Near Jharkhand Border

Five people were killed and 87 injured after an overloaded bus with 87 passengers plunged into a gorge near Orsa Bangladara on the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand border on Sunday.

Representative AI Image (Source: IANS)

In a tragic accident, five people died, and 80 others were injured when a bus plunged into a gorge near Orsa Bangladara ghati on the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand border on Sunday. The incident fell under the Mahuadanr police station jurisdiction, shocking the local community.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the fatalities. In an X post, he said, “The tragic accident near Balrampur on the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand border, which claimed several passengers' lives, is heartbreaking. I offer my deepest condolences to the grieving families during this difficult time. Rescue and relief operations began immediately upon news of the incident. An administrative team is on-site coordinating efforts. Of the 87 injured, 27 are under care at Carmel Hospital and 60 at the Community Health Centre. I’ve instructed authorities to ensure all required medical aid for the seriously hurt. I pray for the departed souls' peace and quick recovery for the injured.”

  — Vishnu Deo Sai (@vishnudsai) January 18, 2026

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According to police, the deceased include four men and one woman from Chhattisgarh's Balrampur district, with identities yet to be ascertained. Officials disclosed the bus carried 87 passengers, beyond capacity, most en route to a pre-marriage function in Lodh village.

Eyewitnesses reported that the driver lost control while navigating a sharp turn on the steep slope. The bus struck a guardrail, hit a tree, and plunged about 20 feet into a gorge, leaving several passengers trapped in the wreckage.

Driver Vikas Pathak, who survived, informed police that he desperately applied the handbrake and switched off the engine, but the steep gradient made stopping impossible.
Rescue operations began immediately, with local residents and police collaborating to free passengers from the mangled bus. The injured were transported to Mahuadanr Community Hospital and Carmel Hospital.

At least 30 injured remain critical and have been shifted to Ranchi for advanced care, officials confirmed. The accident spotlights the perils of overloading and reckless driving on hilly roads, with investigations underway into negligence or mechanical faults.

District officials promised to cover all victims' medical costs and support deceased families. This tragedy reinforces the urgent call for stricter road safety rules, especially in rural border regions plagued by overloaded vehicles.

(with IANS inputs)