45-Year-Old Woman Dies, 23 Injured As DTC Bus Hits Metro Pillar In West Delhi

A 45-year-old woman lost her life and 23 others were injured when an electric DTC bus collided with a metro pillar in west Delhi on Monday morning, police reported.

The accident occurred near Shivaji Park Metro Station, with the Punjabi Bagh police station receiving a call about it at 7:42 am.

Preliminary investigations by Deputy Commissioner of Police Vichitra Veer revealed that the DTC electric bus, traveling between Mangolpuri and Anand Vihar Bus Terminal, crashed into the metro pillar. The sudden braking by the bus driver led to an auto-rickshaw crashing into the bus from behind. A total of 24 people, including the bus driver and conductor, were injured.

"A 45-year-old woman passenger was declared dead at Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, and a 55-year-old man is currently in the ICU," said the DCP.

An FIR has been registered under sections 281, 125A, and 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Of the injured, 13 are being treated at Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, while the other 10 were taken to Acharya Bhikshu Hospital in Moti Nagar, according to the DCP.

A Delhi Transport Corporation official stated that the bus was in its designated lane when a motorcyclist and an auto-rickshaw made sudden right turns. The bus driver, attempting to avoid a collision, also turned right but ended up hitting the metro pillar.

A senior police officer mentioned that the statements of the bus driver and conductor have been recorded, and the police are also recording statements from passengers to clarify the accident's details. CCTV footage from inside the bus and the surrounding area will be reviewed.

The bus driver claimed he lost control when the motorcycle and auto-rickshaw ahead of him made sharp right turns. He attempted to stop the bus to avoid a collision.

Police teams are investigating the incident and gathering more information about the passengers. "The deceased woman was the sole breadwinner of her family, and her family members are in deep shock," the officer added.

The police will also examine if the bus driver was speeding or if there was a technical fault in the vehicle that led to the collision.