It was a double whammy for around 50 migrants, eager to get back home, as the passenger bus ferrying them from Jammu to Uttar Pradesh overturned after hitting a divider near Libra village in Khanna in the wee hours of Tuesday. Ten labourers received minor injuries in the incident and were rushed to the Khanna civil hospital for treatment.
The bus driver fled the spot after the incident but the police managed to arrest him later in the afternoon. The accused was identified as Rajinder Yadav of Rudarpur, Uttrakhand. He told the police that he fell asleep and rammed the vehicle into the divider.
Sadar station house officer inspector Jaspal Singh said the bus did not have a permit and at least 50 passengers were on the 52-seater bus, which means social distancing norms were not being followed. The driver told the police that he had ferried some passengers from Uttrakhand to Jammu and on his way back, he picked up these migrants.
The labourers told the police that they were charged Rs 1000 each for the journey till Uttar Pradesh. The labourers, who belong to Bihar, were to take another transport from Uttar Pradesh to reach their native villages.
Alok Yadav, a native of Uttar Pradesh, said that they had boarded the bus on Monday night. In early hours of Tuesday when they were all asleep, they felt sudden jolts and fell on each other. Realising that the bus had overturned, they started screaming for help. Some of them managed to jump out through the windows and get help. They were then taken to the hospital by the police. Two of them suffered fractures and were referred to the Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. The others have been sent to shelter homes for the time being.
{{/usCountry}}Alok Yadav, a native of Uttar Pradesh, said that they had boarded the bus on Monday night. In early hours of Tuesday when they were all asleep, they felt sudden jolts and fell on each other. Realising that the bus had overturned, they started screaming for help. Some of them managed to jump out through the windows and get help. They were then taken to the hospital by the police. Two of them suffered fractures and were referred to the Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. The others have been sent to shelter homes for the time being.
{{/usCountry}}A case has been registered against the driver under Sections 279 (rash driving), 337 (endangering life), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) , 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 51 of Disaster Management act.