Bus overturns near Sang Khola, students escape with minor injuries

GANGTOK, 30 Apr:  A group of 27 students from Nagaland had a close shave when the bus they were travelling overturned at S-Turning, a few kilometers short of Sang Khola here this morning.

As per information received from the officer in charge, Singtam PS, PI Parsuram Sharma, the students were on their way to Siliguri after an exposure tour to Sikkim when the driver lost control and crashed the bus at the main turning at around 7:20 a.m. this morning.

It was further stated that ten students suffered minor injuries and were rushed to the trauma centre at Singtam district hospital where they received first aid and discharged. However, one student was referred to CRH, Manipal for further treatment and is now informed to be out of danger.

The driver of the vehicle, one Mani Kumar Mukhia from Mirik in West Bengal has been arrested by Singtam police and a case of rash and negligent driving registered against him.

Police sources inform that the driver during investigation revealed that the brakes of the vehicle failed because of which he lost control and the bus overturned at the spot. However, a case has been registered and the actual cause of the accident will be known only after further investigation.

The accident at S-Turning this morning also disrupted traffic when the evacuation of the victims was being undertaken by police personnel assisted by locals of the area and later because the bus was blocking the road. Long traffic jams continued till around 12 pm after which normal traffic resumed.