Hoshangabad bus accident: Govt orders FIR against operator

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh police will register an FIR (first information report) against operator of the ill-fated bus which claimed 18 lives, mostly members of a family from Indore going to attend a marriage reception in Chhindwara, after a fatal mishap near Hoshangabad on Tuesday. “We will register a case against the bus operator for not hiring two drivers for a long distance journey,” state transport minister Bhupendra Singh told TOI.
He said government has also instructed to cancel licenses of all truckers and drivers who were found guilty of drunken driving. “In case of normal violation of motor vehicles Act the transport department has been asked to impose heavy fine, four times than the penalty at present. If the violation is serious, license of the driver will be scrapped,” warned the minister.
At least, 18 passengers were killed while 25 others seriously injured when a Chhindwara-bound bus of a marriage party overturned, near Hoshangabad during early hours on Tuesday. Initial reports suggested driver of the bus was inexperienced and tired even before taking the journey. “Probably he didn’t get sufficient sleep at night which led to the disaster. Bus operator should have provided a substitute during long-distance journey,” said a police officer on spot.
Hoshangabad district collector Sanket Bhondve said prima facie the incident happened due to negligence of the driver.
When the matter came up during discussion in state assembly, opposition Congress raised violation of motor vehicles Act and poor medical facility provided by the state government in Hoshangabad hospital. Congress MLA Jitu Patwari, Mukesh Nayak, Ramnivas Rawat, Ajay Singh and Bala Bachchan joined the chorus to take immediate step to save life of injured passengers. They stated that injured passengers were not given proper treatment and there were no scanners and machines for investigation.
MLAs also raised issue of use of saline for treatment of victims from the company banned by health department after botched-up eye surgery in Barwani. Mukesh Nayak demanded immediate action to save life of five passengers who were critically injured in the mishap and are battling for life.
Assuring best treatment to the injured, health minister Narottam Mishra said government will provide all help to the injured. The members also express grief over the deaths and demanded stringent action against the violators.