Driver dies of cardiac arrest; two others die as bus hit them

Three persons died and three others sustained severe injuries when a cluster bus - whose driver suffered a cardiac arrest while driving, lost control over the vehicle and allegedly hit five persons at north Delhi's Kotwali area today.
The deceased were identified as Suraj (21), Keshav Prasad (48), and the bus driver, Wajid (48), who died of a cardiac arrest, said police.
The incident was reported around 3.20 PM, when the orange cluster bus - on 419 route - lost balance and ended up hitting a mini-truck and a three-wheeler, near the Kotwali police station and then hitting five persons.

Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai has ordered an inquiry into the incident and set up a four-member committee to be headed by Deputy Transport Commissioner (Operation) Yogesh Pratap Singh.
"The members of the committee inspected the spot where the incident took place and have submitted its preliminary report. The committee has also been asked to submit its final report within 72 hours," said a senior government official.
According to the police, while Prasad died on spot, after being crushed between two vehicles, the others - including the driver - were declared dead when rushed to a hospital. When an agitated crowd approached the driver after the accident, they found that he was sitting motionless in a slightly twisted position on his seat.

Meanwhile, the police were informed and the victims were rushed to two different hospitals - Sushruta Trauma Centre and Lok Nayak hospital - where Prasad and the driver were declared brought dead, and Suraj succumbed to his injuries in an hour.

Presently, two persons are admitted at Sushruta Trauma Centre and one at Lok Nayak Hospital, and all three of them are reported to be critical, said the senior official.
"We have registered a case under Sections 279 (rash driving) and 304A (causing death by negligence) of IPC . Further investigation is underway," said DCP (North) Madhur Verma.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the driver had a cardiac arrest while he was on wheels, which led the accident. However, no conclusions can be drawn unless the post-mortem report is obtained, Verma said.

While Keshav Prasad was a food vendor who was standing next to his cart when the bus allegedly hit him, Prasad was a labourer apparently trying to cross the road during the incident, police added.