Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, Dec 9: At least 18 students were injured after a private college bus skidded off the road and turned turtle in Mendhar area of district Poonch today.
A police spokesman said that mishap took place when the 40-seater bus of Muqadus Degree College Mendhar was on way to Nakka Majari. As the vehicle reached near Gharat, it went out of control and turned turtle on the road side. The injured students disclosed that driver of the bus Mohd Ashraf was giving training to a student who was sitting with him on driver’s seat.
The minor student could not negotiate a curve and the vehicle rolled down the road side. The driver jumped away and escaped from the spot. Immediately after the mishap, the villagers rushed to the spot. They rescued the students and shifted them to nearby health centre for first aid. Five students with grievous injuries were removed to Sub-District Hospital, Mendhar. One of them was later referred to GMC Hospital Jammu.
Those who were undergoing treatment in SDH Mendhar included Saima from BA-Part I of the same college, Rubia Kouser from Class 11th, Rukshinda Kouser from Class 10th, Shahzad from class 10th. The police has registered a case in this connection.
The parents of the children later lodged strong protest against Traffic Police and Administration. They alleged that most of these vehicles attached with schools and colleges in the area are violating norms. The vehicles have no valid documents and some drivers are also without license. They met SDM and requested him to issue directions to the concerned authorities to act.