10 dead as pvt mini-bus overturns in Dasuya

At least 10 people, including a three-year-old girl and her mother, were killed and 30 others were injured as a private mini bus overturned on Hajipur road in Dasuya sub-division of Hoshiarpur on Monday. Seven people died on the spot, while two persons succumbed to injuries during treatment at Dasuya civil hospital, officials said.

Four critically injured have been referred to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Amritsar. When the bus flipped over in the middle of the road, a Maruti Alto coming from Dasuya rammed into it. The car driver survived with minor injuries. The bus was going from Talwara to Dasuya.

People from nearby areas pulled out some of the passengers but most were badly trapped and could be rescued only after the bus was erected with the help of JCB machines. On arrival in the civil hospital, seven passengers, including the child, were declared brought dead. Shortly after, another woman succumbed.

The injured said the driver was speeding, while the bus was overloaded with some passengers standing as there was no room to sit, according to passengers. “I was standing at the rear end. At first, I thought the bus had hit a pothole but then it swirled around and overturned,” said one of the injured.

Eyewitnesses said it was a gory scene with passengers bleeding and screaming. “Our clothes too were soaked in blood as we rescued them. It was heart wrenching to see a baby with a soother in her mouth, lying dead,” an eyewitness said.

As the injured were carried in ambulances to the civil hospital, medical teams provided them first aid.

The deceased have been identified as Raju Bala (5) and Meena (30), both of Budhabaar village; Love Kumar (50) of Kangra district (Himachal Pradesh); Gurmit Ram (65) of Haler village; Satwinder Kaur (55) of Jalal Chak village; Balbir Kaur (60) of Dasuya; Sanjeev Kumar (30) of Gurdaspur district, Subag Rani (55) of Sahora village, Khushi Mohite (22) of Saunspur village, and Rajij Kumar (30) of Rouli village, said Dr Manmohan Singh, civil hospital’s senior medical officer.

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann expressed grief over deaths in the accident. Dasuya MLA Karamvir Singh Ghumman said the families of the deceased will get ₹2 lakh each from chief minister relief fund. Deputy commissioner Ashika Jain said free treatment would be provided to the accident victims. Dasuya deputy superintendent of police Balwinder Singh Jaura said that a case was registered against the bus driver for rash driving and causing death by negligence.

REFERENCE: HINDUSTAN TIMES