At least 20 passengers, including several children, were injured on Monday after a passenger bus overturned on the Amarpur–Nutanbazar road near the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) 5th Battalion camp. The accident triggered panic among passengers and local residents, highlighting concerns over road safety and the condition of public transport vehicles in the region.
According to preliminary information, the bus was travelling at a high speed when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn near the TSR camp area. Eyewitnesses said the incident happened suddenly, leaving passengers with little time to react. The overturned bus lay on the roadside as locals rushed to help rescue those trapped inside.
All injured passengers were immediately shifted to Amarpur Sub-Divisional Hospital, where doctors provided emergency medical treatment. Hospital sources confirmed that most of the injured sustained minor to moderate injuries. However, one unidentified passenger who was critically injured was later referred to the district hospital for advanced treatment due to the severity of their condition.
An injured passenger alleged that the accident was caused by excessive overloading of the bus. “There were far more passengers than the bus could safely carry. Because of that, the driver could not control the vehicle,” the passenger told the media from the hospital bed.
Preliminary reports have also raised concerns about the condition of the vehicle involved in the accident. Sources indicated that the bus was quite old, and there is a possibility that a mechanical failure, such as the steering locking while the bus was in motion, may have contributed to the crash. Authorities are expected to conduct a technical inspection to determine the exact cause.
Officials said the accident could have resulted in major fatalities, but fortunately, many passengers escaped narrowly with their lives. The incident has once again underscored the urgent need for stricter enforcement of traffic rules, checks on vehicle fitness, and action against overloading to prevent such accidents in the future.
