Death toll in Bihar road accident rises to 14, FIR lodged

SITAMARHI/MUZAFFARPUR: Four more persons died today taking the Death toll in yesterday's road accident in Sitamarhi district to 14, a district official said.

Ten persons were killed on the spot when the bus had skidded off an elevated highway in Runnisaidpur police station area of Sitamarhi last evening.

"Four persons died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Muzaffarpur till this morning.

Fifty others are still undergoing treatment with the condition of some of them are stated to be critical," Sub Divisional Officer (Sadar), Sitamarhi, Satyendra Kumar said.

The SDO also said an FIR has been lodged at the police station against the owner of the bus and its driver, both based in Muzaffarpur.

"The driver fled after the bus came crashing down," he said.

"The District Transport Officer of Muzaffarpur, where the bus was registered, has also been named in the FIR since the vehicle was plying on the road despite its fitness certificate having expired in 2017," the SDO added.

Meanwhile, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi visited the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital at Muzaffarpur, met the injured passengers and gave instructions for their proper treatment.

Talking to reporters later, Sushil Modi said the state government was taking "serious steps to put a check on such road mishaps.

An agreement has been inked with the National Highways Authority of India as part of which the agency will provide us with 40 ambulances and as many police escort vehicles which will be plied on national highways".

"The number of lives lost in road mishaps in Bihar, for the year 2017, was 5,429 as against 1. 46 lakh for the entire country. We are ensuring that during construction of new roads, safety standards are strictly followed," he said.