New Delhi, Mar 25 (PTI) A speeding sleeper bus from Jaipur overturned while talking a sharp turn near Hanuman Mandir in Karol Bagh’s Jhandewalan area here early Wednesday, killing two passengers and injuring 23 others, officials said.
Around 1 am, Karol Bagh police station received a PCR call informing that several passengers were trapped inside a bus following an accident, a senior police officer said.
The Delhi-bound bus from Jaipur had around 30 passengers on board, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Rajbir Singh in a statement said.
A police officer who was present at a post near the accident site said the bus was overspeeding and overturned after losing control while taking a turn at a roundabout near the temple.
The officer said that his team was handling traffic duty, when they heard a loud noise and a cloud of dust near the roundabout.
“We immediately rushed to the spot, people were crying for help, several were trying to break the glass windows in a desperate move to come out of the vehicle. The vehicle was moving towards Mori Gate,” he said.
The Delhi Fire Services also received a call regarding the incident at 1.10 am.
Gokul, an eye witness, said, “Thank god, a police picket was recently installed there to divert traffic. Due to police presence, a big incident averted.” A police team led by Karol Bagh SHO, Delhi Fire Services personnel, picket staff and night patrolling team rushed to the spot and immediately launched efforts to pull out the trapped passengers with the help of along locals, he said.
A JCB machine nearby was roped in to help lift the bus and rescue those stuck inside, he added.
Around 10 injured passengers were rushed to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and later discharged, 12 injured were taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, and one to Lady Hardinge Medical College, the police said.
Two passengers, both men, succumbed to injuries at RML Hospital, the officer said.
The deceased have been identified as Shehbaj Alam (30), a resident of Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh, and Mahesh (22), he said.
The bus driver, Pankaj Kumar (26), a resident of Rajasthan’s Alwar, has been detained and is undergoing treatment at RML Hospital.
An FIR under BNS sections 281 (rash driving), 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 106 (causing death by negligence) has been registered against the the bus driver at Karol Bagh police station.
“Further investigation is underway and details of the injured are being collected from the hospitals. Necessary legal action will be taken against the driver following completion of the inquiry,” the officer said.
The officials said the prompt response of police personnel, along with assistance from the public and fire department helped save lives.
Another eyewitness said the bus was moving at high speed and lost balance while taking a turn.
“We got to know that the bus overturned while saving an autorickshaw,” said Nirmal, the eyewitness who was travelling from Uttam Nagar to New Delhi.
Gola Shyam, president of the All India Tourist Bus Association, said that an auto-rickshaw and a motorcycle were approaching at high speed when the bus was heading towards Mori Gate.
To avoid hitting them, the bus driver suddenly swerved, causing the bus to overturn, he said, adding that brakes of the bus had failed.
Visuals from the spot showed shattered glass and scattered belongings strewn across the road. The sleeper bus was extensively damaged, with twisted frames and broken window panels indicating the severity of the impact. PTI BM SSJ SGV MSJ SHB NB NB
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