In a major road mishap, three persons were killed, and 30 others were injured when the bus they were travelling in turned turtle at Charabasa village under Jhinkpani police station area in West Singhbhum district about 70 kilometres on Wednesday evening.
The victims were activists of Jharkhand Vikash Morcha and were travelling in the bus to Asura village for attending a party meeting to be addressed by the party president Babulal Marandi.
The injured have been admitted to Chaibasa Sadar Hospital, where thecondition of five others is described as serious. When contacted
officer-in-charge, Jhinkpani police station, Chakraborty Ram said that the bus was coming from Tonto block in the West Singhbhum, and while the vehicle was taking a turn, the driver of the vehicle lost control and overturned.
“The mishap took place when the driver of the speeding bus lost controlover the bus. Though the bus was overturned as the bus driver lost control, but it was a fact that the vehicle was at a high speed,” Ram noted.
According to the victims, as the bus after losing control hit a tree, leaving it uprooted and then hit bus hit another tree and finally overturned straying into a row of trees.
People from the nearby village rushed to the rescue of the passengers who were lying trapped in the overturned
vehicle.
“The immediate task of the police was to ensure life to all the injured. However, we will check the condition of the bus and inquire with the bus owner about the maintenance of the vehicle before going ahead with the penal course,” said a police official.
“We are investigating out the reasons behind the mishap. From the initial probe it was learnt that the mishap occurred due to the negligence of the driver. We are going to register a case of rash-driving against the driver”, said Ram.