Five of family killed in car-bus collision

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 28

Five persons of a family of labourers, including a woman and a 10-year-old boy, were killed and six others injured when the Cruiser vehicle they were travelling in collided with a Punjab Roadways bus and a car near the TMH resorts on the Kotkapura bypass road here today.

The victims belonging to Udekaran village were on the way to attend the cremation of their relative at Khudian Gulab Singh village in Lambi. The mishap took place while “overtaking” the Zen car around 10.30 am.

Local volunteers and commuters gathered on the spot and helped in rescue operations. The impact of the collision was so high that the Cruiser vehicle was badly crushed. Eyewitnesses claimed the police reached the spot after half-an-hour, though the Sadar Muktsar police station is just half-km away from the accident site.

The ambulance staff too refused to lift the bodies saying they were authorised only to shift the injured to the hospital.

Meanwhile, acting on the complaint of relatives of the deceased, the police have registered a case against the unidentified driver of the bus, which was going to Ambala from Muktsar. The driver is yet to be arrested. The car occupants escaped unhurt.

The deceased were identified as Bakhtaur Singh (56), his mother Surjit Kaur (75), Gurmel Singh (38), Mukhtiar Singh (65) and Satnam Singh (10). Satnam died after reaching the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital at Faridkot, whereas others died on the spot.

The injured included Gurmeet Singh (35), Nachhattar Singh (50), Ramandeep Kaur (35), Soma Kaur (40), Jasveer Kaur (50) and Jaswinder Kaur (52). They were admitted to Faridkot hospital.

Meanwhile, the district administration announced financial assistance of Rs 20,000 each for the injured. Muktsar SDM Rajpal Singh visited the accident site and the private hospital, where the injured were taken after the mishap.