Brakes fail, driver crashes bus into hillside to save 50 students

Panchkula: Several students sustained injuries after a private bus met with an accident in the Morni Hills area of Panchkula on Sunday morning following an apparent brake failure. The bus collided with a hillside, which prevented it from plunging into a nearby gorge and averted a major tragedy.Sources said the incident occurred around 10am when a group of youths sent by the Haryana sports and youth affairs department from Mahendragarh and Palwal districts were travelling from Nature Camp, Thapli towards Chandigarh. The group arrived at the camp on March 27, and the programme was scheduled to continue until April 1.There were around 50 students on board the bus when its brakes reportedly failed shortly after it left the camp area. Despite the critical situation, the driver managed to control the bus at three sharp turns along the hilly road.However, at a V-shaped bend, where the bus faced the risk of plunging into a gorge, the driver deliberately rammed the vehicle into a divider and hillside to stop it. The quick action prevented a major disaster, though some students sustained injuries due to the impact.The injured students were taken to the civil hospital in Panchkula in another bus. Officials said the students suffered minor injuries, were out of danger, and are undergoing treatment.A student, Lakshay, said the group had gone out for sightseeing when the bus suddenly went out of control due to brake failure. Authorities said further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the brake failure.MSID:: 129880107 413 |