An eight-year-old girl was killed while 15 people sustained injuries as a private tourist bus coming to Delhi from Agra overturned after hitting a divider near Mahamaya flyover in the early hours of Monday, the police said. The police suspect the driver slept while driving.
A senior police officer said that the bus was carrying nearly 50 tourists from Maharashtra, Kolkata and Nepal.
“The accident took place just ahead of Mahamaya flyover around 2 a.m. The police were informed, after which they reached the spot and started the rescue operation. It seems that the driver dozed off and crashed into the divider as a result of which the bus overturned,” said Amit Kumar Singh, Station House Officer, Sector 39 police station.
Driver, conductor fled
The police further said that the driver and conductor of the bus are absconding. “When the police team reached the spot, the two had already fled. No official complaint has been filed in connection with the case. We will initiate necessary actions once a complaint is filed.” said a police officer
The police said Khansha Mohammad Qalim, a resident of Maharashtra’s Jalgaon, died on the spot. The child had sustained severe injuries and was taken to a district hospital with other injured persons, but was declared brought dead. Her parents also sustained severe injuries and are currently recuperating.
Four critical
Four of the injured persons, whose condition were critical, were referred to other centres in Delhi, said District Hospital authorities. “Five persons are currently admitted here and undergoing treatment. There were other injured as well who left after receiving basic first aid,” a doctor said.
The tourists said that most of them were asleep when the accident happened. “We had come to Delhi on October 14. We were returning after visiting Agra, Mathura and Vrindavan and were supposed to go back to Kolkata on Monday afternoon. The bus had started from Agra around 10 p.m.,” said Anand, a passenger.
