In a devastating incident near Pinjore, Haryana, over 40 schoolchildren were among the 50 people injured when an overloaded Haryana Roadways mini bus overturned early Monday morning. The bus, en route from Kalka to Pinjore’s hill areas, met with the accident near Nolta village at 7:15 am.
According to officials, the bus overturned while negotiating a turn, causing injuries to mostly schoolchildren who use the mini bus for their daily commute to school. Panchkula Deputy Commissioner Yash Garg emphasized immediate rescue efforts, with 30 children and four adults brought to the civil hospital in Panchkula, while others were under observation in Pinjore.
Civil Surgeon Dr. Mukta Kumar reported that 46 people were initially treated at the polyclinic in Pinjore, with 22 of them later referred to the civil hospital in Sector 6, Panchkula. A critically injured elderly woman bystander was referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh, for further treatment.
While most victims are stable, a schoolgirl is suspected to have suffered a compression fracture in her spine, and one adult was moved to the ICU due to liver bleeding.
The driver of the bus, identified as Yash Pal, absconded following the accident, while the conductor, Sandeep Kumar, sustained injuries. Both have been suspended by Haryana Roadways, Panchkula, General Manager Ashok Kaushik, in response to complaints of overspeeding and overcrowding.
Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta assured an inquiry into the incident, stating that police are actively investigating the matter. He visited the injured at the civil hospital and announced additional bus services from Kalka to mitigate overloading risks.
Political leaders including Kalka MLA Pardeep Chaudhary, former BJP MLA Latika Sharma, and Panchkula AAP president Ranjit Uppal also visited the hospital to meet the injured victims.
Sources By Agencies