Reckless bus driver thrashed

TNN / Apr 9, 2008, 02:54 IST

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Bus drivers have not drawn any lessons from Friday's bus plunge off VIP Road, which left 21 persons dead, but the tragic accident has put passengers on their toes.

KOLKATA: Bus drivers have not drawn any lessons from Friday's bus plunge off VIP Road, which left 21 persons dead, but the tragic accident has put passengers on their toes.
Reluctant to let callous drivers play with their lives, passengers of another speeding bus on VIP Road forced the driver to stop the vehicle, beat him up and handed him over to police on Tuesday.
Around noon on Tuesday, a bus on route 79D was speeding down the Kolkata-bound flank of VIP Road.
According to the passengers, Rabi Ghosh was driving recklessly and racing with a minibus on the airport-BBD Bag route, trying to overtake it from time to time.

With the Kestopur accident fresh in their minds, the passengers protested and forced the driver to stop the bus near the Lake Town footbridge.
"The driver was speeding recklessly to overtake another bus and we feared for our lives," said a passenger. The driver was dragged out of his cabin and beaten up by some of the passengers, while others informed the Lake Town traffic police.
The police rescued the driver from the angry mob. He was fined Rs 2,100 for rash driving and violating traffic norms.

"We will prosecute the driver," said North 24-Parganas superintendent of police Supratim Sarkar.
The driver, however, denied he was trying to overtake. "A car suddenly appeared before me and I had to take a sharp turn to avoid hitting it."
Meanwhile, another victim of the Kestopur accident, Sumana Das Mahapatra (35), who was admitted to a private hospital off EM Bypass, died early in the day, taking the toll to 21.
Commuters and passengers along VIP Road have been on guard since last week's accident, protesting whenever they notice reckless driving.
On Monday, an auto driver stepped on the gas to beat the red light at the Kestopur-Baguiati crossing. He was stopped and reprimanded.

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