NEW DELHI: A journey to a family ceremony ended in tragedy when a school bus carrying villagers from Chhattisgarh’s Balrampur district overturned near the Chhattisgarh–Jharkhand border, leaving at least nine people dead and scores injured.
The accident occurred in the Orsapath area of Latehar district, plunging several villages in Northern Chhattisgarh into mourning and raising fresh concerns over passenger safety
According to preliminary information, on Sunday (Jan 18) evening, the school bus was carrying around 87 passengers, all residents of Piparsot village under Balrampur block, who were travelling to Lodhphal in Jharkhand to attend a pre-marriage ritual locally known as the Lota Pani ceremony.
The vehicle reportedly lost balance on a difficult stretch of road and overturned, trapping several passengers beneath it and triggering chaos at the site.
Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said nine deaths have been confirmed so far, while dozens of passengers sustained injuries of varying severity.
The injured were rushed to nearby health facilities in Mahuwadand. Of them, 27 were admitted to Carmel Hospital, while around 60 others were treated at a community health centre.
Several passengers remain in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll could rise.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed deep grief over the incident and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families.
In a statement, he said the loss of lives was “extremely painful” and assured that rescue and relief operations were initiated immediately.
The Chief Minister directed officials to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured, particularly those who are critically wounded.
The tragedy has also triggered questions over transport safety norms. Chhattisgarh RTO chief D Ravishankar said the use of a school bus for non-educational purposes, including private social functions, is illegal.
He said a detailed inquiry would be conducted and strict action taken if violations are found.
Emphasising prevention, he called for stronger coordination between the transport department and traffic police to avert such incidents in the future.
As news of the accident spread, grief enveloped Piparsot and the surrounding villages, with anxious families awaiting word on missing relatives.
Administrations in both states remain on alert as investigations continue to ascertain the exact cause of the crash.
As the immediate rescue operations wind down, the tragedy has cast a long shadow over recent official claims of improved road safety.
The accident has reignited uncomfortable questions about the condition of roads, enforcement of transport regulations, and the continued neglect of passenger safety.
For grieving families in Balrampur, official assurances and symbolic campaigns offer little consolation.
The incident underscores the urgent need to move beyond ceremonial observances and ensure sustained, ground-level action to make civilian travel genuinely safer. - The Statesman/ANN
