Garhwal Post Bureau
Ramnagar (Nainital), 1 Sep: A serious road accident occurred near Dhikuli village in Nainital district this morning when the driver of a Kumaon Motor Owners Union Limited (KMOU) bus lost control and overturned off the road, leaving six passengers injured, two of whom are reported to be in critical condition. The bus, bearing registration number UK 04 PA 0430, had departed Ramnagar at 7 a.m. and was headed towards Jaurasi via Bhikiyasain, Masi, and Chaukhutia. The mishap took place around 7:30 a.m. near Maharani Resort in Dhikuli, when a Gypsy overtook a speeding auto-rickshaw coming from the opposite direction, forcing the bus driver to veer sharply to avoid a collision.
According to the eyewitnesses including the passengers, the bus driver, Pratap Singh, was maintaining normal speed when a Gypsy vehicle suddenly appeared, overtaking an auto-rickshaw in a narrow stretch. With both vehicles approaching simultaneously, there was no room left for the driver to manoeuvre on the road. In an attempt to avoid a head-on collision, the driver veered the bus towards the roadside shoulder, which had become soft and unstable due to recent rainfall. Unable to support the weight of the bus, the shoulder gave way, causing the vehicle to overturn.
The locals from nearby settlements rushed to the scene, breaking the bus windows to rescue trapped passengers. The police were informed promptly, and with the assistance of the 108 Ambulance service, the injured were transported to Ramnagar Joint Hospital. Senior medical officer Deepa confirmed that four of the injured were admitted to the hospital, while two critically injured individuals were referred to a higher medical centre for specialised treatment.
Driver Pratap Singh reiterated that the accident was a result of reckless overtaking by the Gypsy and the auto-rickshaw and maintained that his evasive action prevented a potentially more disastrous outcome. He placed responsibility for the incident on the drivers of the two smaller vehicles, citing their speeding and dangerous manoeuvres.
Ramnagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Pramod Kumar visited the accident site and spoke to the driver, who repeated his account of the events leading to the crash. The SDM confirmed that the injured are receiving appropriate medical care and that an investigation has been initiated to ascertain the exact cause of the accident. The authorities claimed that they would take action against the drivers of the vehicles found to be speeding and driving negligently.
