Rourkela: A small aircraft carrying nine passengers crashed near the Jagada block close to the Rourkela airstrip in Odisha on Saturday, according to preliminary reports.

According to a report published by News18, the aircraft was attempting to take off for Bhubaneswar when it reportedly ran into trouble moments after take-off and came down near the airstrip area.

No casualties have been reported so far, though some of the passengers sustained injuries. Emergency teams rushed to the spot following the incident.

Further details regarding the cause of the crash are awaited.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Over 60 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in both Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, where bypolls were held on Thursday.

While the turnout in Bagalkot was 65.68 per cent, it was 63.04 per cent in Davanagere South.

While the ruling Congress faces the challenge of retaining both seats, the BJP aims to wrest them and deliver a setback to its rival, which is currently witnessing an "internal power struggle" over leadership.

The bypolls were necessitated due to the demise of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti (Bagalkot) and Shamanur Shivashankarappa (Davanagere South).

A total of over 2.59 lakh eligible voters are expected to cast their votes at around 319 polling stations in Bagalkot, where nine candidates are in the fray.

In Davanagere South, over 2.31 lakh eligible voters are expected to vote across 284 polling stations, with 25 candidates contesting.

The BJP has fielded former MLA and 2023 defeated candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath from Bagalkot, and a fresh face, Srinivas T Dasakariyappa, from Davanagere South.

The Congress has given tickets to family members of the late legislators in both constituencies. Bagalkot candidate Umesh Meti is the son of H Y Meti, while Samarth Mallikarjun from Davanagere South is the grandson of Shamanur Shivashankarappa.