Conductor, two passengers injured after bus rams parked lorry

TNSTC bus rammed lorry on Chennai-Bengaluru Hwy, Vellore, injuring 3: conductor S. Ramesh, passengers K. Murali & B. Prakash. RMO Gita says except Ramesh, others sustained minor injuries. Driver S. Kumar lost control of wheels, causing front of bus to be mangled. Passersby & motorists rescued injured, police registered case; lorry defied ban on service lane.

A bus conductor sustained head injuries and two passengers suffered minor injuries after the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus they were travelling in rammed a lorry parked along the service lane of the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway (NH44) in Vellore, on Friday.

The injured persons have been identified as passengers K. Murali, 48, and B. Prakash, 41, and the bus conductor, S. Ramesh, 47.

“Except Mr. Ramesh, the others sustained only minor injuries. All the injured are currently under observation at the emergency ward here,” S. Gita, Resident Medical Officer (RMO), Government Medical College Hospital (Vellore), told The Hindu.

Around 12.15 p.m., the government bus (Route No. 189 [Vellore town to Gudiyatham]), which was heading towards the new bus terminus on the narrow service lane below the elevated expressway, rammed a parked lorry after the driver, S. Kumar, 53, lost control over the wheels. In the impact, the front portion of the bus was mangled beyond recognition, and the three of them were left injured.

Passersby and fellow motorists rescued the injured commuters, and alerted the Vellore North police who rushed to the spot.

A case has been registered.

Police said the lorry defied a ban introduced to prevent traffic snarls by being stationed along the service lane.