20 hurt as bus crashes after brake failure

Amritsar, April 26

Over 20 passengers were injured when a private bus hit a pillar on the elevated road after the brakes of the bus failed here on Wednesday. Many commuters had a narrow escape.

The incident occurred near the Ram Talai Mandir chowk in the afternoon. It is one of the busiest stretches due to its proximity with the interstate bus terminus.

An eyewitness said the bus (PB02BV7889) was coming from the bus stand side. It went out of control allegedly due to brake failure, crashing into a pillar. Around 20 passengers, some of them seriously, were injured in the accident. Residents from nearby areas came to the rescue of the injured passengers and brought them out of the bus.

He said ambulances were called to the spot and the injured were rushed to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital and a private hospital. The injured included children also. Those who received minor injuries were given first aid on the spot.

ASI Gurdev Singh, a traffic cop who was deputed near the stop for controlling traffic, said the bus was being driven rashly. The driver was apparently trying to control it, but as the brakes failed, he crashed it into the pillar to stop it.

There were around 50 passengers in the bus and nearly 20, including the bus driver, were injured in the mishap. They were rushed to different hospitals while those with minor injuries were discharged after first aid, he added. A motorcycle, reportedly of a cop, was parked near the pillar, which was smashed in the accident.

Sub-Inspector Deepak Sharma, posted at the bus stand chowki, said it was an accident though further investigations were in progress by the police station concerned.

Bus driver Rajinder Sharma said while driving down the elevated road near Pingalwara, the brakes of the bus failed and it went out of control. “I tried to control and stop it, but could not. I had to crash the bus into the pillar to bring it to a halt and avoid casualties,” he said.

Ritu, a resident of Ajnala, who was travelling in the bus, said as the incident occurred suddenly, she could not understand how it happened. She was also injured in the accident. Another woman passenger said the driver avoided hitting other vehicles before crashing it into a pillar.