Subhro Maitra, TNN Oct 17, 2011, 01.03AM IST
MALDA: A Darjeeling-bound tourist bus overturned on NH-34 on Sunday, leaving 60 passengers injured. Twenty of the injured tourists were referred to Malda District Hospital while the rest are being treated at Gajole health centre. It has been learnt that six among those sent to Malda hospital are in serious condition.
A group from Hariharpara and Mirpur in Murshidabad had hired the bus from a local tour operator for a trip to Darjeeling. En route, the bus turned turtle at the crack of dawn near Ahora. Though the reason behind the accident is yet to be ascertained, one Hafiza Biwi, who was a passenger on the bus, claimed the driver was drowsy while driving. "At 4.30am, we noticed that the driver was drowsy. Before we could alert him, the bus overturned and I lost consciousness," she said.
However, Narayan Halder, the helper of the bus, rubbished the allegation. He claimed the driver lost control while trying to dodge a huge crater on the road. The driver is on the run.
Ranjit Biswas, one of the witnesses, said, "We heard a noise and rushed to find the bus overturned. The injured passengers were sent to Malda by a Malda-bound bus and the rest were admitted to Gajole health centre." Relatives of the injured passengers have rushed to the hospitals after they were being informed about the accident.
Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-17/kolkata/30289274_1_bus-accident-driver-malda-district-hospital