Punjab witnessed two accidents — in Kharar and Hoshiarpur — on Tuesday in which nine people lost their lives while over 70 received serious injuries.
Expressing deep shock and anguish over the tragic accident, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has expressed his sympathies to the members of the bereaved families. Six persons were killed when a tourist bus rammed into a tree near Jandwal village in Hoshiarpur’s Mukerian subdivision in the wee hours of Tuesday. Besides, 24 are reported to be injured.
Haryana’s private bus was carrying pilgrims from Uklana Mandi in Hisar district to Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir. Reports said the accident allegedly took place after the bus driver dozed off. Besides, high speed and negligence of driver could also have led to the mishap. People of the nearby villages rushed to the spot when they heard the collision around 3:30 am.
Six persons died on the spot and their bodies were badly mutilated. They were identified as Maan Singh, Satpal, Surjit Singh, Subhash Chander Narang, Madan lal Singla and Mohinder Singh, all residents of Hisar district. The injured were admitted to the Mukerian civil hospital. They revealed that the bus had left Uklana Mandi around 8 pm.
Sub-divisional magistrate Rahul Chaba and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Nanak Singh reached the site and oversaw the rescue operation. later, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sukhchain Singh Gill also visited the spot.
Bus driver Satish Chander and conductor Dharamvir fled from the scene after the accident. A case under sections 304-A (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 279 (rash driving), 337 and 338 (endangering life of others) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against the duo at the Mukerian police station.
Another accident occurred in Saheda village near Kharar-Kurali road when a speedy truck rammed into Punjab Roadways bus which lead to the death of three people leaving 47 others injured. Seven of them, who received serious injuries, were rushed to the PGI where their condition is said to be serious till the filing of this report.
The bus was on its way from Chandigarh to Amritsar when reached near Doaba College, Kharar collided with a truck coming from opposite side. Meanwhile, while expressing profound grief and sorrow over the accidents Dy Chief Minister Sukhbir has asked the district administration of both Hoshiarpur and Mohali to ensure adequate medical assistance to the injured.