Four people were killed and more than 20 injured when an Amritsar-bound tourist bus overturned near Majari village on the Phagwara-Chandigarh national highway early on Monday.
Three of the deceased have been identified as Vishal Rattu, 30, of Amritsar, Joshina George, 20, a student at Lovely Professional University, and Aaditya, 24, of Ludhiana. The identity of the fourth victim has yet to be established.
Banga Sadar station house officer (SHO) Pargat Singh said the accident occurred around 4.30 am as the bus, carrying 26 passengers from Manali, was descending a bridge. The driver reportedly lost control, causing the vehicle to fall off the bridge and flip over. Four passengers died on the spot.
Preliminary investigations suggest the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel.
The injured were rushed to the Banga civil hospital and Guru Nanak Mission Hospital in Dahan Kaleran for treatment.
The SHO said the police and rescue teams reached the spot soon after the accident and launched a rescue operation. The bodies of the deceased were taken into custody and sent to the Banga civil hospital for further proceedings.
The bus driver, Vivek Kumar of Himachal Pradesh, who also suffered multiple injuries, was booked under Sections 106 (causing death by negligence), 281 (rash driving) and 125-A (endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.