Four persons were killed while several others were injured after a Jagdalpur- Raipur bound bus collided head on with a Mahindra pickup near Pharasgaon village under Kondagaon district about 30 kms from the district headquarters on Monday, police said.
According to Station House Officer Pharasgaon, Banchhor Das the mishap happened when the Royal Travels bus (CG-04 CY-7869) was going towards Raipur and had crossed Pharasgaon village around 3.30 pm. “The Mahindra Pick up (CG-17 D-1390) loaded with asbestos sheet was headed towards Jagdalpur.The bus had been speeding when both the vehicles collided head on between Borgaon village and Pharasgaon village on the National Highway,” said SHO.
“The collision was so severe that the bus turned turtle, while the bumper of the pick up was virtually turned into a metal scrap,” informed SHO adding that three persons died on the spot while the fourth succumbed to injuries on the way to Jagdalpur. The driver succeeded in running away after the accident. People in bus also sustained minor injuries in the mishap.
Police said the deceased were identified as driver of pick up Swantra Kumar alias Babulu resident of Patoda, Mannu of Kulhadigaon, Siso of Bailgaon and one another whose was yet to be identified. Police has seized the bus and registered a case under Section 304(A) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) that reads to death due to negligence, against the errant driver and a hunt is on to nab him. The flow of traffic was interrupted for hours on the national highway after the accident.
