BHUBANESWAR/JAJPUR: Day after a Kolkata-bound bus fell off a flyover, resulting in five deaths and injury to 40 passengers, driver of the vehicle was booked on charges of rash driving and negligence on Tuesday.
The Kolkata-bound bus skidded off a flyover on NH-16 in Jajpur district leading to the mishap on Monday evening.
Transport department sources said bus driver Harekrushna Das (40) with critical injuries has been admitted to the ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack along with four others. Das will be arrested after he is discharged from the hospital.
Dharmasala police registered a case under several sections of IPC, including 279 (driving a vehicle in a negligent manner, endangering human life) and 337 (causing hurt to any person by doing any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life) against the bus driver. Additional transport commissioner (road safety) Lal Mohan Sethi said the bus was in good condition and a fresh fitness certificate was issued last month. It is suspected that the accident might have taken place due to negligence of the bus driver, he said.
“He might have tried to overtake a vehicle from the left side or was talking over cell phone while driving. Further investigation is on to ascertain the cause of the accident,” he said.
BJD leader and 5T chairman VK Pandian visited the hospital early on Tuesday and enquired about the well-being of the injured passengers. He assured all help to them.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed grief over the accident. In a social media post, she said, WB administration had been on rescue and assistance mode from the beginning.
“Since some of the dead and many of the injured are from WB, we have sent officials, materials and ambulances to the spot for rescue assistance. Vehicles have been sent to bring back the rescued passengers. Beds have been reserved in Medinipur medical college. Compensation will be paid to the next of kin of the dead and the injured as per rules,” she posted on X.
Banerjee deputed WB Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose to coordinate with Odisha officials for assistance.
On Monday, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik announced an ex gratia of Rs 3 lakh to the kin of each deceased from the state.
Meanwhile, on the day, three persons died and 20 others sustained injuries in two separate mishaps in the Keonjhar and Angul districts. While two died in a series of accidents on NH-20 near Durapada Chhak in Keonjhar, 20 passengers were injured and the driver of an ill-fated bus, which hit another vehicle on NH-55 near Jarapada in Angul, succumbed to his injuries.