Kakatpur, Oct 30: Several passengers had a narrow escape after the "Laxmi Bus" they were travelling in plunged into a river on Thursday.

According to reports, the incident occurred near Sama Kadua bridge in Kakatpur. The bus was en route to Kakatpur from Konark.

Fortunately, only a few passengers were onboard at the time, and no serious injuries have been reported.

The driver of the bus stated that the accident caused due to a sudden steering malfunction, which led to the vehicle veering off the road and falling into the riverbed.

Local residents and authorities rushed to the scene and rescued the passengers.

The bus was later retrieved with the help of a crane, and traffic movement in the area was briefly disrupted.

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Police have initiated an investigation into the mechanical failure and are assessing whether negligence or poor maintenance played a role in the incident.

The "Laxmi Bus" is the nickname for Odisha's LAccMI (Location Accessible, Accessible, M-accessible, Inclusive) scheme, a state government initiative to provide better rural and intra-district public transportation. The scheme is designed to connect villages to block and district headquarters, aiming to improve accessibility for social and economic activities.