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4 of family among 7 killed as truck rams into bus in Ambala
Couple, their two minor sons killed, along with three men; most bus passengers were migrant labourers from UP heading to Baddi in Himachal; both drivers booked for culpable homicide
Seven passengers, including four of a family, were killed and around 10 others were injured when a speeding truck rammed into a stationary bus near Kakkar Majra village in Ambala’s Shahzadpur block on Friday, police said.
The accident took place in the wee hours on the Panchkula-Yamunanagar National Highway (NH 344), nearly 50 km from Chandigarh, when the bus from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh (UP) was on its way to the industrial town of Baddi in adjoining Himachal Pradesh.
Most of the passengers in the Baghpat-registered sleeper bus were migrant labourers and returning back to work.
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Among the deceased was a couple — Jwala, 34, and Rinki, 32 — and their two children — Prince, 8, and Prashant, 6 — hailing from UP’s Sambhal district.
Two other deceased were identified as Rahish Khan and Badan Singh from UP’s Budaun, while the seventh victim remains unidentified.
The truck driver, Chander Mohan, and bus driver, Furkaan, escaped unhurt.
Dr Rupinder, senior medical officer (SMO), Naraingarh civil hospital, said autopsies of five victims were conducted at the hospital and bodied were handed over to their families.
The post-mortem of the unidentified man will be conducted after his relatives arrive, while that of Badan Singh was conducted at the Panchkula civil hospital.
Among those injured, Zareena was admitted to the Panchkula civil hospital, while two-year-old Nishant is undergoing treatment at GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh.
Rest all were admitted to the sub-divisional civil hospital in Ambala Cantonment and Shahzadpur health centre, cops said.
Passengers were deboarding when truck hit them
Subhash Chand, a local, who was out for a morning walk, claimed that the bus driver had halted on the highway without any parking lights and some passengers were getting off when the truck rammed into it.
Eye-witnesses said the impact of the collision caused the 12-wheeler truck, loaded with iron sheets, to overturn on the other side of the road.
Chander Mohan from Hathras, the driver of the Faridabad-registered truck, was rescued by passers-by. Gathered locals informed the police and cranes were called to clear the highway for traffic movement.
Truck driver dozed off behind wheel: Police
Shahzadpur police station in-charge inspector Birbhan said, “The truck driver revealed that he dozed off while driving, leading to the collision with the bus.”
One of the bus passengers, who was travelling from Budaun to Baddi, said nearly 20-25 passengers were in the bus and singing songs during the journey when the accident took place.
Both the truck and the bus drivers were booked under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 279 (rash driving), 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation), 304-A (causing death by negligence), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) at the Shahzadpur police station. Both are yet to be arrested.
