Punjab Newsline | Nawanshahr
Four people were killed and several others injured after a private bus carrying 41 passengers overturned near Majari village in the Banga area of Nawanshahr district on Monday morning.
The accident took place at around 5 am when the bus, travelling from Manali to Amritsar, was coming down the Banga overbridge. According to the preliminary investigation, the driver allegedly dozed off, causing the bus to go out of control. It crashed through the flyover railing and fell onto the service road, where it overturned.
The impact was severe, leaving the bus badly damaged. Several passengers sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Police and rescue teams reached the spot soon after the accident and launched a rescue operation. The bodies of the deceased were taken into custody and sent to the Civil Hospital for further proceedings.
Banga Sadar police investigating officer Sandeep Kumar said bus driver Vivek Kumar, a resident of Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, has been arrested.
Two of the deceased have been identified as 30-year-old Vishal Rattu, a resident of Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Nagar in Amritsar, and Jyotsna George from Kerala. The identities of the other two deceased are yet to be confirmed.
Earlier, reports claimed that two of the deceased were students of Lovely Professional University (LPU). However, police have not confirmed this information.
The initial investigation indicates that the accident may have occurred after the driver fell asleep at the wheel. Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
