Charred remains of the bus that caught fire after colliding with a motorcycle on national highway No. 16 near Sita Nagar in Chamakhandi. Picture by Gopal Krishna Reddy

Berhampur, Aug. 4: Two motorcyclists were charred to death after a mini bus hit their bike and both vehicles caught fire on the national highway No. 16 near Sita Nagar in Chamakhandi, 15km from here on Sunday.

Twenty-five persons travelling in the bus, however, had escaped unhurt. The two vehicles were completely gutted.

The two deceased were identified as Mitu Pradhan, 32, of Chasa Kanamana and Hadibandhu Majhi of IRE Colony, said Ashok Parida inspector in charge of Chamakhandi police station.

The driver and helper of the mini bus fled from the spot and are absconding. “We have registered a case against the owner of the bus. It is his duty to produce the driver and we will arrest the driver when he does that,” said Parida.

“The mini bus was on its way to Berhampur from Aladigaon near Humma when the accident occurred. We got off the bus as soon as it caught fire,” said Madan Panda, who had boarded the bus at Chatrapur.

Quoting eyewitnesses, the police said the motorcycle, on which the two deceased were travelling, dashed against the bus and came under its wheels.

The bus dragged the bike and the two victims for nearly 30 metres on the road. The motorcycle’s petrol tank was damaged and petrol from it spilled on to the road.

As the motorcycle was dragged under the bus, there were sparks and the two-wheeler and later, the bus, caught fire. The bus stopped only after hitting a road divider. The passengers managed to escape from the vehicle and within a few minutes, the bus as well as the motorcycle were gutted in the blaze, the police said.

“At first, I didn’t realise what was happening. I was sitting in one of rear seats of the bus when the accident occurred. The driver suddenly applied brakes. There was a loud noise. The bus screeched to a halt on the middle of the road and we got out of the vehicle hurriedly as we were told the bus might catch fire,” said Panda.