20 passengers injured after private bus rams into hillside

Over 20 passengers were injured on Tuesday when the private bus in which they were travelling developed a technical snag and rammed into a hillside on the Shillai-Paonta Sahib National Highway No. 707.

The accident occurred near Dhakoli village, 1.5 km from Shillai, when the bus carrying 30 passengers was on way from Timbi to Shillai. The nus suffered a snag in the steering wheel and crashed into the hillside. Further, it got stuck on a small bridge, preventing a potential rollover.

Emergency service providers responded promptly after receiving the report of the accident and took the injured to the Shillai Civil Hospital in 108 ambulances.

Over 20 passengers sustained minor injuries. Some of them were discharged after the first-aid.

Bus driver Prakash said the vehicle’s steering got locked near a sharp curve. Despite his attempt to stop the bus before reaching the curve, it hit the hillside, resulting in injuries to several passengers.

While most of them sustained minor injuries, 19-year-old Sushant, who suffered a serious arm injury, was referred to a higher medical centre for specialised treatment.

Dr Hemant Sharma, a medical officer at Shillai Civil Hospital, said several passengers were still under observation. These include Rohiya (80), Rishant (9), Neelam (23), Anil (36), Kritika (19), Ranju (26) and Kajal (24), all of whom were reported to be in stable condition.

As the photos of the damaged bus were shared on social media, some users pointed out that the bus was reportedly involved in accidents on the Dharwa and Milla roads in the past.

The incident also led to a public outcry over the hiring of private bus operators. Many social media users criticised the hiring of “inexperienced drivers” by bus owners in a bid to cut costs. Such a practice of allowing under-qualified individuals to operate the buses was threatening passenger safety, they alleged. They urged the Transport Department to take strict action against those violating safety regulations.