Muktsar mishap: Search on for missing passengers, bus driver, conductor booked

Muktsar, September 20

More than 24 hours after a private bus fell into the Sirhind Feeder Canal near Jhabelwali village on the Muktsar-Kotkapura road due to the rain and poor visibility, an NDRF team continued its search operation to locate the missing persons. However, no body was recovered today.

No body found

Not even a single body was found today. A case has been registered against the bus driver and conductor, but no formal arrest has been made yet.

Satnam Singh, Muktsar DSP

Yesterday, eight bodies were fished out and 11 injured persons were admitted to the Muktsar Civil Hospital. Even, the water supply has been stopped in the canal.

Blaming the contractor for the fatal accident, a number of farmers sat on a dharna at the toll plaza in Warring village. The protesters said the company had widened the road, but failed to widen the bridges.

Manpreet Singh of Bathinda said, “My brother used to commute daily on this bus. Yesterday, he was in the bus when it fell into the canal. He is still missing, however, his bag and cellphone have been recovered.”

Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon, co-owner of the bus company, said, “A case has been registered. If we are guilty, we will pay the penalty. I have taken the responsibility for this accident, which happened due to the poor visibility during rain, bad condition of the road and narrow bridge.”