A speeding state-run bus slammed into a concrete flyover wall in Punjab's Sangrur district before dawn on Wednesday, killing three passengers and injuring 24 others.
Twisted metal trapped dozens inside. The Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) vehicle was ferrying commuters from Dhuri toward Chandigarh when the driver lost control at approximately 4:30 am, ramming the boundary structure at highway speed. Local residents and morning commuters rushed to the wreckage, tearing through fractured doors alongside emergency teams to pull survivors from the mangled cabin.
Police investigators quickly eliminated adverse weather as a contributing factor. The morning air was crisp and completely devoid of winter fog, leaving clear visibility along the stretch. Passenger testimonies collected at the crash site indicated that the vehicle was travelling at high speed before veering sharply into the flyover parapet.
Yet the physical force of the collision wrecked the forward chassis instantly.
The bus was travelling from Dhuri towards Chandigarh when it hit the flyover wall, leaving passengers trapped. We are examining all mechanical and operational factors behind the incident.
Punjab Police Official
Police have moved the three deceased passengers to the district mortuary for mandatory postmortem procedures while forensic teams inspect the wreckage to identify whether mechanical failure or driver fatigue precipitated the crash.
Civil Hospital physicians admitted 21 passengers within an hour of the disaster, rapidly categorising trauma levels as surgical teams stabilised bone fractures and internal injuries. As wards filled, specialists determined that multiple survivors required advanced neurological and intensive interventions unavailable at the primary facility.
Fifteen of the most critically injured passengers were transferred under emergency protocol to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala for specialised treatment. The remaining nine survivors continue receiving acute medical monitoring across hospitals in Sangrur, where doctors are running continuous diagnostic scans to evaluate internal trauma.
| Incident Parameter | Official Status / Metric |
|---|---|
| Transport Operator | Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) |
| Origin and Destination | Dhuri (Sangrur District) to Chandigarh |
| Fatalities | 3 passengers confirmed dead |
| Total Injured | 24 passengers |
| Critical Patient Referrals | 15 transferred to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala |
| Visibility & Weather | Clear sky, zero fog reported |
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced that the state will absorb all hospitalisation expenses for every injured commuter.
"The news of the tragic accident involving a PRTC bus in Sangrur is deeply distressing," Mann stated. "Instructions have been issued to the administration to ensure free medical treatment for all those affected."
District authorities and transport officials are scheduled to submit an initial mechanical assessment of the bus to state safety inspectors by Thursday.