Woman killed, 34 hurt as DTC bus crashes into metro pillar
NEW DELHI: A woman died and 34 people were injured when a DTC bus they were travelling in rammed into a pillar near Shivaji Park metro station in west Delhi on Monday morning, police said.
Punjab Bagh police station received a call regarding the accident at 7.42 am, they said.
A DTC electric bus, plying on the route between Mangolpuri and Anand Vihar Bus Terminal, crashed into the metro pillar. As the bus driver suddenly applied the brakes, an autorickshaw rammed into it from behind, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vichitra Veer said. “A 45-year-old woman passenger of the bus was declared dead at Maharaja Agrasen Hospital while another passenger, a 55-year-old man, is in the ICU,” the DCP said. Police said 34 people, including the driver and conductor, were injured in the accident.
An FIR has been registered in the matter under sections 281 (negligent driving), 125A (endangering the life of others) and 106 (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), they said.
A Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) official said, “The bus was running in its designated lane. A motorcyclist and an autorickshaw driver suddenly took a right turn and to avoid hitting them, the bus driver also turned right and hit the metro pillar.” A senior police officer said statements of the bus driver and conductor have been recorded. “We are also recording the statements of passengers for more clarity on how the accident took place,” the officer said.
Police are reviewing CCTV footage from inside the bus and nearby areas to determine the events leading up to the crash. The bus driver claimed he lost control when a motorcycle and autorickshaw ahead made a sharp turn, causing him to attempt an emergency stop. Investigations will check for speeding or mechanical issues. Nanhe, a passenger, stated the driver was speeding, causing severe impact. Usman, an autorickshaw passenger, reported minor injuries from hitting the bus. The deceased woman was the sole breadwinner for her family.
