Driver killed, 40 injured, as Rajasthan roadways bus rams into truck in Ghaziabad

According to police, the accident took place around 4am when the speeding bus was on its way to Haridwar. The passengers suspect that the bus driver dozed off while driving and could not see the truck ahead

In a major accident on the erstwhile NH-58 in Ghaziabad, a bus driver was killed on the spot and 40 passengers were injured when a speeding Rajasthan roadways bus, en route to Haridwar, hit the rear of a container truck around 4am near Murad Nagar.

The Jalore-Haridwar Rajasthan roadways bus rammed into a truck on the erstwhile NH-58 in Ghaziabad, on Sunday morning. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

There were a total of 48 passengers in the bus.

All the injured passengers were rushed to MMG and Sanjay Nagar government hospitals. The driver, Babu Lal (40) succumbed to critical injuries at the accident site. Officials said the bus was on its way from Jalore depot in Rajasthan to Haridwar in Uttar Pradesh, a journey of nearly 950km.

“A total of 29 passengers were brought to the Sanjay Nagar hospital while another 12 were admitted to MMG district hospital; these included the driver who died. We have also sent two passengers to Delhi as they were grievously injured,” Dr SN Singh, emergency medical officer at the Sanjay Nagar hospital, said.

The Ghaziabad police has arrested truck driver Netram (52) who fled the accident site, and filed an FIR of the accident.

Murad Nagar station house officer Ranvir Singh said, “The driver was fleeing with the truck when the highway patrol vans chased him and arrested him. His truck was seized and Netram was arrested. He is from Dadri in Gautam Budh Nagar. An FIR has been lodged against him.” 

According to police, the accident took place around 4am when the speeding bus was on its way to Haridwar after a brief stopover at the ISBT in Delhi.

“The truck was taking a turn and had stopped because of another vehicle ahead of it. In the meanwhile, the bus rammed into the truck and its front portion was badly damaged. We have shifted all the injured to the hospital and are taking care of their treatment,” HN Singh, senior superintendent of police, Ghaziabad, said.

Most of the passengers had boarded the bus in Rajasthan and belong to different cities of Jalore, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer and Sikar. Most of the injured passengers suffered injuries, and fractures to the head, legs and face.

The passengers Hindustan Times spoke with said that the bus driver probably dozed off while driving and could not see the truck ahead on the Ghaziabad-Meerut road.

Mahipal, the bus conductor, said, “After Jalore, the bus headed to Jaipur where the crew changed. After Kotputli, the bus reached Delhi’s ISBT at Sarai Kale Khan and proceeded to Haridwar. In Ghaziabad, the bus met with the accident. I was on the front conductor seat. I had covered myself with a shawl and was half asleep. Then, the speeding bus hit the truck and I fell down on the stairs and lost consciousness.”

The police officials from Kavi Nagar police station informed the Rajasthan roadways officials and also arranged for food for the passengers who were admitted at the hospital.

Anil Kaushik, manager administration of Rajasthan roadways (Delhi depot), said, “Our teams reached Ghaziabad to take stock of the accident and the injured passengers. We are making arrangements to take injured passengers back to Rajasthan. A spare bus will arrive at Ghaziabad for passengers who want to continue with their journey to Haridwar.”