Maharaja Bus Owner arrested; Sent to Jail Custody

Athmalik Police on Friday arrested the owner of  ill-fated Maharaja bus which fell off 50 feet from a bridge near Puruna Manitri at Athmalik area in Angul district on September 9 in which 19 persons died and more than 40 others injured.

Police arrested Rishabh Kumar Tripathi, owner of the Maharaja bus. He was sent to jail on Saturday after a local court rejected his bail plea.

Earlier, the bus driver Birendra Behera had been sent to jail, where he said the accident occurred due to failure of the steering wheel.

Meantime, the Private Bus Owners’ Association has strongly opposed the arrest of Tripathy.