Three passengers were killed and 26 others were injured early on Wednesday, November 11, when a Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) bus travelling towards Chandigarh crashed near an overbridge in Sangrur district on the Bathinda-Chandigarh National Highway, police and hospital officials said. The crash took place near Dreamland Colony, a few kilometres from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's residence in Sangrur, according to reports of the incident.

Source: ANI via Daily Prabhat

Sub-Inspector Mehar Singh said the bus was operating on its regular route from Sangrur to Chandigarh via Dhuri and was running slightly behind schedule on Wednesday. "Three passengers died on the spot, including two women and one man. Around 24-25 others sustained injuries. All the injured passengers were shifted to different hospitals for treatment," he said, in the ANI report. Other hospital-based reports put the total number of injured brought to Sangrur Civil Hospital at 26.

Who died, and where the injured are being treated

Sangrur Civil Hospital senior medical officer Dr Vinod Kumar said three passengers were brought dead to the emergency ward. The deceased were identified in reports citing Dr Kumar as Rajwinder Kaur, 30, Mohinder Kaur, 34, and Manjit Singh, 60. Twelve injured passengers, including the driver and conductor in some reports, suffered fractures and serious injuries and were referred to Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, while the remaining injured were treated at Sangrur Civil Hospital. A seven-year-old boy was among those kept under observation at Sangrur, one hospital report said.

What police say happened

Reports differ in detail on the sequence: ANI, citing police, said the bus lost control and crashed into a ditch near the overbridge, while other reports said it hit a bridge wall or a flyover support and veered into a roadside field. The Times of India put the time of the crash at about 5:20 am; other reports said the bus had left Dhuri at around 4:45 am. No official finding on the cause has been announced, and police said an investigation is under way to establish the sequence of events, including the bus's speed.

Sangrur Deputy Superintendent of Police Dalbir Singh said the driver, identified in reports as Chandandeep Singh of Pannwanwala village, is believed to have fallen asleep at the wheel, according to Mirror Now and other reports. That account is a police allegation at this stage, not a proven finding. Police have registered a case against the driver under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and have begun inquest proceedings, with the bodies sent for autopsy, reports said.

Source: Mirror Now

Chief Minister's response

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed grief over the crash and directed the administration to ensure free treatment for all the injured, The Indian Express and NDTV reported, as summarised by Jugti. Congress leader and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also expressed grief and called for the best medical care for the injured.

Source: Jugti (citing Indian Express and NDTV)

What happens next: the police investigation will determine the precise circumstances of the crash, the injured referred to Patiala remain the focus of medical attention, and the case against the driver will proceed on the basis of the investigation. Awaaz Punjab will update this story if police or hospital officials release a revised casualty count or a formal cause.