Even after 24 hours of the unfortunate road mishap involving two passenger buses at Haat Gamharia in West Singhbhum, the police are yet to reach a conclusion for the cause of mishap. Meanwhile, 39 injured were injured who are being treated at various hospitals in Jamshedpur and Sadar Hospital in Chaibasa.
According to information, at the Tata Main Hospital 19 injured have been admitted, seven in MGM Medical College and Hospital and 13 are admitted at the Chaibasa Sadar Hospital in West Singhbhum.
Condition of those shifted to the Tata Main Hospital is stated to be serious but stable. Those admitted at the State run medical college and hospital and at the Sadar Hospital in Chaibasa is undergoing treatment for minor injuries.
It may be mentioned that eight passengers were killed while 39 were injured as two passenger buses had a head-on collision at Balajuri on Chaibasa-Noamundi State highway under Haat Gamharia thana in West Singhbhum district on late Wednesday afternoon.
After taken care of the injured, the district administration has swung into action for getting autopsy done on the bodies of those killed. Five bodies which were burnt to beyond recognition will be subjected to DNA for identification.
West Singhbhum deputy commissioner, Shantanu Kumar Agrahari said the police are investigating the mishap. Three of the bodies have been identified and already handed over to the families, while five bodies which were charred to death beyond recognition have been kept at the Chaibasa Sadar Hospital morgue.
“We have also issued a helpline number (06582-255164) through which we will get the charred bodies identified. Those who will claim the bodies, we will get him or her blood sample for DNA and get it matched with the charred bodies,” said the deputy commissioner.
Agrahari said for the DNA they would send the charred bodies either to MGM Medical College or to RIMS on Friday after taking a decision to this regard.
The West Singhbhum DC said that a magisterial team headed by SDO, Chaibasa has been set up for investigating the cause of the mishap and also the cause of fire soon after the collision.
The bodies which have been identified were that of a six-month baby, a 35-year-old woman and a 40 year-old man. The police suspect the five bodies which are still unidentified must be include a woman’s body.One of the injured said that the single door in the bus ‘Tamann’ was closed and there was no option but to jump from the window. The fire was so intense that it had covered the vehicle's lone door. As a result of which most of the surviving passengers had jumped through the windows. Officer-in-charge of Haat Gamharia thana, Ashok Kumar Singh said:“The first priority is to ensure that the injured are given proper treatment. We are monitoring the conditions and treatment of patients in various hospitals and also investigating into the cause of fire”.