North Dinajpur, 1 July (H.S.)

In a major accident on Tuesday morning, a passenger bus overturned into a roadside ditch near Dostimore area of Raiganj in North Dinajpur district, West Bengal. The incident took place around 11:15 AM on the Old National Highway, triggering panic and chaos in the area.

According to police sources, seven passengers were injured, with three in critical condition. All the injured were rushed to Raiganj Medical College and Hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment.

Eyewitnesses said local residents were the first to reach the scene and began rescue operations immediately. Shortly after, teams from Raiganj Police Station, Traffic Guard, and the Fire Department arrived and joined the relief efforts.

A crane was deployed to lift the overturned bus from the waterbody.

One of the passengers, Yashoda Barman, recounted the incident:

“The bus was traveling from Malda to Raiganj. I boarded at Durgapur. We had barely traveled a few kilometers when there was a loud noise, and the bus suddenly overturned. People were saying the driver tried to avoid an oncoming e-rickshaw (toto), lost control, and the bus plunged into the ditch.”

To manage the situation, the police deployed additional personnel to control traffic and speed up rescue operations.

Authorities have launched a preliminary investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident. They are examining whether the mishap occurred due to driver negligence or mechanical failure in the vehicle.

The incident has once again raised concerns over road safety and the challenges of driving on narrow highways shared by buses, small vehicles, and slow-moving e-rickshaws.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey