The driver of a cluster bus jumped out of his running vehicle in a bid to escape mob fury in South-West Delhi’s Kapashera on Monday morning, leading to a pile-up of around a dozen cars and motorcycles.
While the vehicles were severely damaged, most of the occupants had miraculous escapes. Ultimately, four persons were required to be admitted to hospitals with injuries — none of which were life-threatening.
Plying on route number 578, the bus was headed from Safdarjung to Najafgarh around 9 a.m. on Monday when the incident happened on the Bijwasan Flyover near Kapashera.
According to Surender Kumar, DCP (South-West), the pile-up was triggered after the cluster bus rammed a motorcycle. “While the motorcycle rider was flung far away, his two-wheeler happened to skid under the bus. Believing that he had run over the motorcycle rider, the bus driver decided to speed away,” said Mr. Kumar based on eyewitness accounts.
The driver, however, lost control. Within seconds he rammed a Wagon-R car ahead, pushing it to the other side of the road where it hit a couple of vehicles.
Fortunately, the driver of the Wagon-R escaped with relatively minor injuries as fell out of the car mid-way after the door swung open.
“Meanwhile, the bus driver jumped out of the running vehicle and escaped,” said the DCP. Fear of mob fury may have prompted the driver to indulge in such a dangerous act, the DCP said.
The empty bus, which was now running without a driver, hurtled down the flyover for several metres. It hit eight vehicles before coming to a halt.
While some occupants of the damaged cars managed to move out in time, others were trapped inside. Passers-by played an important role in rescuing them.
Rahul, one of the victims, said he gauged the situation only when the bus had rammed his car from the side, sandwiching it between the bus and the road divider. “My car was damaged badly, but I escaped unhurt. I was pulled out in time,” said Rahul.
Four victims needed hospitalisation while others were discharged after being administered first aid. Police said that the driver is yet to be arrested.
