Mohanty had rented the bus, bearing registration number OR 05 AB 9535, to an opera party based in Deogarh. The bus registered under the Cuttack RTO, did not have a fitness certificate.
Notably, on April 17 the bus carrying 38 Jatra Party artists of Bharati Gananatya, fell off the Gaelo Ghat in Tileibani near Deogarh, leaving 27 people dead and 11 injured. The bus fell into a 300 feet gorge. It was going from Deogarh to Sohela.