New Delhi, March 25 A speeding sleeper bus from Jaipur overturned while taking a sharp turn near Hanuman Mandir in the Jhandewalan area of Karol Bagh here early Wednesday, killing two passengers and injuring 23 others, officials said.
Around 1 am, the Karol Bagh police station received a PCR call informing that several passengers were trapped inside a bus following an accident, a senior police officer said.
The bus, bound for Delhi from Jaipur, had around 30 passengers on board, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Rajbir Singh said in a statement.
A police officer who was present at a post near the accident site said the bus was overspeeding and overturned after losing control while taking a turn at a roundabout near the temple.
The officer said that his team was on traffic duty when they heard a loud noise and a cloud of dust near the roundabout.
"We immediately rushed to the spot. People were crying for help, and several were trying to break the glass windows in a desperate attempt to get out of the vehicle. The vehicle was heading towards Mori Gate," he said.
The Delhi Fire Services also received a call regarding the incident at 1:10 am.
Gokul, an eyewitness, said, "Thank God, a police picket was recently installed there to divert traffic. Due to the police presence, a major incident was averted."
A police team led by Karol Bagh SHO, Delhi Fire Services personnel, picket staff, and the night patrolling team rushed to the spot and immediately launched efforts to pull out the trapped passengers with the help of locals, he said.
A JCB machine nearby was used to help lift the bus and rescue those stuck inside, he added.
Around 10 injured passengers were taken to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and later discharged, 12 were taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, and one to Lady Hardinge Medical College, the police said.
Two passengers, both men, succumbed to injuries at RML Hospital, the officer said.
The deceased have been identified as Shehbaj Alam (30), a resident of Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh, and Mahesh (22), he said.
The bus driver, Pankaj Kumar (26), a resident of Alwar in Rajasthan, has been detained and is undergoing treatment at RML Hospital.
An FIR under sections 281 (rash driving), 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), and 106 (causing death by negligence) has been registered against the bus driver at the Karol Bagh police station.
"Further investigation is underway, and details of the injured are being collected from the hospitals. Necessary legal action will be taken against the driver after the inquiry is complete," the officer said.
The officials said that the prompt response of police personnel, along with assistance from the public and the fire department, helped save lives.
Another eyewitness said the bus was moving at high speed and lost balance while taking a turn.
"We found out that the bus overturned while trying to avoid hitting an auto-rickshaw," said Nirmal, the eyewitness who was travelling from Uttam Nagar to New Delhi.
Gola Shyam, president of the All India Tourist Bus Association, said that an auto-rickshaw and a motorcycle were approaching at high speed when the bus was heading towards Mori Gate.
To avoid hitting them, the bus driver suddenly swerved, causing the bus to overturn, he said, adding that the bus brakes had failed.
Visuals from the spot showed shattered glass and scattered belongings strewn across the road. The sleeper bus was extensively damaged, with twisted frames and broken window panels indicating the severity of the impact.