13 injured as bus rams into tractor trolley on Yamuna Expressway

As many 13 people sustained injuries after a sleeper bus heading from Agra towards Noida rammed into a tractor trolley on the Yamuna Expressway early Thursday morning, officers said, adding that the condition of the wounded is said to be stable.

Police suspect the bus driver, identified as Gajender Sikarwar (40) perhaps dozed off behind the wheel.

According to police, they received information about the incident at around 5.30am, prompting a team from Dankaur police station to immediately rush to the spot.

“The bus driver’s helper identified as Bhola (single name) (25) called the police emergency number following the crash. He was not injured in the incident,” said Ashok Kumar, additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP), Greater Noida.

“The incident occurred near the Formula 1 track. Police found that the bus had fallen off the expressway while the tractor was hanging on the edge. There were at least 35 people on the sleeper bus, of which 13 people (including the bus driver and tractor driver, identified as Ashu (single name) (20)) were found injured and rushed to a nearby hospital,” the officer said, adding that other passengers left for their destinations by arranging taxis.

The 11 injured passengers were identified as Arun Tomar (18), Nikki (22), Raunak (17), Surendra (47), Kanhaiya (single name) (17), Sadhana (42), Ramraj (22), Shivram (40), Chandni (17), Mamta (38 ) and Rajesh (44). Except for Tomar, all others were identified by single names.

During investigation, it was found that the double-decker bus (which has sitting seats with a sleeper section above) was heading from Agra towards Delhi when it ploughed into the tractor trolley which was also on the move (on the same carriageway). Officials said the bus had boarded passengers from Morena in MP while the tractor trolley was carrying cement bricks and was heading from Aligarh towards Greater Noida.

“It is suspected that the bus driver dozed off on the wheel because of which it rammed into the tractor trolley. The bus and the tractor have been impounded while the condition of the injured is stable. Ten of them were discharged after first aid from the hospital,” the officer said, adding that no case has been registered in the matter as yet.