A shocking tumble in Banga
In the pre‑dawn darkness of Monday, a Volvo tourist coach carrying 41 travelers from Manali to Amritsar lost control on a flyover near Mazari village and tumbled onto the slip road below. The incident, reported at roughly 4:40 a.m., sent tremors through the quiet town of Banga, Punjab.
Fatalities and the wounded
The impact claimed four lives. Among the deceased were Josna George, a student from Kerala enrolled at Lovely Professional University, chartered accountant Vishal Rattu of Amritsar, and Aditya Gautam from Ludhiana; the identity of the fourth victim is still being verified.
Sixteen passengers sustained severe injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals. Authorities later transferred the most critical cases to better‑equipped facilities in Banga. The remaining 21 travelers escaped with minor or no injuries and were escorted from the scene with their luggage in tow.
Rescue effort and police action
Banga DSP Harjit Singh Randhawa led the first‑responders who arrived within minutes of the emergency call. Rescue teams pried open the twisted bus, freed trapped passengers, and recovered personal belongings. The injured were loaded onto ambulances for transport to medical centres, while the bodies of Josna George and Vishal Rattu were handed over to their families after post‑mortem examinations. The remaining remains are being stored at the Shivpuri Baba Gola mortuary.
Driver detained and probe opened
Police detained the driver, Vivek Kumar of Sharna village, Balh (Ratti) in Himachal Pradesh. A case has been lodged against him under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, with investigators examining whether driver fatigue or another form of negligence caused the bus to veer off the flyover.
Investigators are also reviewing CCTV footage, eyewitness testimonies, and the vehicle’s mechanical records to reconstruct the chain of events that led to the tragic plunge.
Aftermath and community response
Banga’s residents remain in mourning as families await further information. The disaster has rekindled calls for stricter safety inspections of tourist buses and for enhanced driver‑alertness protocols on high‑speed routes.
