‘Was told to slow down’: Speeding Jaipur–Delhi private bus overturns near Jhandewalan leaves 2 dead, 21 injured

NEW DELHI: A speeding private bus on the last leg of its Jaipur-Delhi trip crashed on its side near Jhandewalan Temple in central Delhi, killing two passengers and injuring 21.

The bus rammed the boundary wall of a park and crashed into an electric pole before overturning on Wednesday around 1 am. Injured passengers said the driver was speeding and refused to slow down despite requests.

“The Rajasthan-registered tourist sleeper, with a capacity of around 70, was travelling from Jaipur to Sadar Bazar in Delhi, with about 30 passengers on board. Some had deboarded earlier, leaving Jatin Kumar 23 when the bus overturned,” police said.

Police suspect the 26-year-old driver may have dozed off or was speeding. All 23 injured were taken to city hospitals and two of them–Mahesh Kumar (22) of Chhattisgarh and Shehbaj Alam (30) of UP–died during treatment.

Poonam Singh, who was returning with her husband and seven-year-old son from a vacation in Rajasthan, said the bus was in poor condition, and the driver continued to speed despite passengers’ warnings.

Similarly, Aman Kashyap, an engineering student returning home to Noida from Rajasthan, also alleged rash driving. The passengers also suspect that the driver may have been intoxicated.

Some passengers tried to get off earlier but were dissuaded by the driver, who insisted on continuing, saying he had somewhere to be, said Mukesh, a passenger.

A passing earthmover was used to lift the bus and rescue those trapped. All injured passengers were taken to hospitals: 12 to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (two later died), 10 critical to Ganga Ram Hospital, and one to Lady Hardinge Medical College.

The driver, Pankaj Kumar, has been detained and is receiving medical treatment. A case has been registered at Karol Bagh police station under Sections 281 (rash driving), 125(a) (endangering life), and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the BNS.

Murari Lal, a 60-year-old rickshaw puller who sleeps nearby, said an electric pole saved his life.

“If the bus hadn’t hit the pole, it would have crushed me,” he said. “After the bus flipped, passersby and police rushed to help. The noise was deafening.”