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Tribune News Service
Bathinda, November 8
Nine students from Rampura Phul area were run over by a speeding truck when the bus in which they were travelling in broke down and they were waiting for an alternative transport on the roadside. The mishap occurred near Chetak Park, on the city’s outskirts, on the Bathinda-Chandigarh highway.
The rashly driven truck first rammed a Tata Sumo and then the students who were standing on the roadside. After the incident the truck driver fled from the spot.
Video by Pawan Sharma
Of the 14 students waiting there, nine died in the accident, four were injured and were under treatment at civil hospital and Adesh Medical College. These were students of different colleges and coaching classes in Bathinda.
The accident occurred as a thick blanket of smog had enveloped the region and there was poor visibility on the roads.
Bathinda DC Diprava Lakra and SSP Naveen Singla rushed to the spot.
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Survivor of the incident Prince, resident of Rampura and student of BA at DAV College, said he was standing at the last and saved his life by jumping to the other side as seeing the truck coming towards them. He also suffered minor injuries.
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He said, “We all were coming from Rampura and nearby areas in a private bus, which met with an accident as a PRTC bus rammed it from behind, due to which we all came walking a few meters and then started waiting for a bus on the roadside over the bridge. Meanwhile, a speeding truck came and hit us.”
The incident also led to a pile-up involving a PRTC bus, a private bus and four to five cars 50 metres away from the spot. However, no casualties were reported in it, though a few people were injured. All the injured were rushed to the civil hospital in Bathinda.
DC Diprava Lakra said it was a sad incident.
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