Patna, Oct 12 — At least one person was killed and several others were injured when a passenger bus travelling from Patna to Jogbani in Araria district collided with a stationary truck near Jhajha village under the Bhaptiyahi police station limits in Bihar’s Supaul district around 3 a.m. on Monday, officials said.
The bus’s helper, Bhagirath Jha, lost his life in the accident, while more than six passengers sustained injuries. Jha was a resident of Motipur village in the Raghopur police station area of Supaul district.
The collision left the bus, which belongs to Dev Travels, badly damaged and triggered chaos at the scene.
The injured passengers were taken to the Community Health Centre in Saraigarh-Bhaptiyahi, where they received first aid. According to an official, the victims were discharged after the first aid.
According to preliminary investigation, the truck driver parked the vehicle on the roadside near Jhajha village after its brakes reportedly failed. The driver had planned to get the vehicle repaired in the morning.
At around 3 a.m., the Dev Travels bus, travelling from Patna towards Jogbani, crashed into the stationary truck. The impact caused extensive damage to the left side of the bus where the helper was sitting.
After receiving information about the accident, Bhaptiyahi police seized both the damaged bus and the truck. Police are investigating the circumstances leading to the collision, including the reported brake failure and the vehicles’ positions on the highway.
According to police, the preliminary investigation suggests that the bus was travelling at high speed and that the driver may have dozed off for a few seconds, potentially leading to the fatal collision.
However, the exact cause of the accident is yet to be established. The district police have informed the deceased's family members, and the body has been sent for a postmortem examination.
Police are also recording statements from the injured victims to ascertain the exact circumstances that led to the accident.
Further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.