JAMMU: Police on Tuesday arrested the driver in connection with their investigation into Monday’s accident that claimed the lives of 21 people in Ramnagar’s Kagot Moreh area, officers familiar with the matter said.
“Today, we arrested the bus driver, Rohit Kumar, in Ramnagar. He has been on the run since Monday when the bus fell into a gorge,” said Manveer Singh, station house officer (SHO) of Ramnagar police station.
The private bus traveling from Ramnagar to Udhampur veered off the road at Kagot Morh village and fell into a ravine about 70 feet deep, killing 21 people.
A team of forensic experts visited the accident site on Tuesday.
Inspector Singh refused to share the initial findings of the investigation and said, “It would be too early to say anything at this stage. Claims by some passengers that a tire burst was the cause of the accident are also being investigated.”
He added, “A forensic team visited the crash site today and we are also awaiting their report.”
A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against the bus driver under Sections 281, 125-A, 125-B and 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act.
Meanwhile, the Regional Transport Authority has canceled the HMV driving licence, and the bus registration certificate. “The HMV license was issued to the bus driver in 2018-19. About five to six days ago, the bus owner appointed the driver,” said Mudassir Iqbal, ARTO Udhampur.
“We have canceled the driver’s HMV license and bus registration certificate. Moreover, the owner will not be able to claim on the vehicle’s insurance,” Iqbal said.
Documents obtained by HT showed that before Monday’s incident, the bus owner had been issued six tickets for offenses such as speeding and dangerous driving.
