Rohri accident: FIR registered against bus driver

SUKKUR: The FIR of the accident between train and bus in which at least 20 people died was registered against the bus driver at the Rohri Police Station in Sukkur.

The tragic accident involving Sargodha bound bus and Punjab bound Pakistan Express occurred at the unmanned Kandra level crossing on Friday night killing 20 people and critically injuring 20 others. The deceased included 11 men, eight women, and one child while 20 were injured.

The FIR of the accident was registered at Rohri Police Station in Sukkur under section 279,337,320, 427 PPC and 129 Railways Act. It was filed on the complaint of the train guard Hamza Ali. According to an injured victim of the bus Abdul Basit Shervani, the coach driver tried to speed away the bus despite seeing the approaching train. However, this version could not be independently confirmed. Kandra level crossing is an unmanned crossing that was converted into a link road. Meanwhile, the Railways authorities, the Sindh and the federal governments have ordered an investigation into the accident.

Against the backdrop of the tragedy, both the provincial and the federal government swapped allegations, holding each other responsible for the non-existent railway crossings. The Provincial Transport Minister Awais Qadir Shah has accused the Railways for the tragedy, alleging that there were several unmanned railways crossings like the Kandra Crossing. None of them have any gates or staff to man those crossing and accidents are waiting to happen at any of them, the minister expressed fear. On the other hand, the Railways Minister Sh Rasheed Ahmed asserted that it is the responsibility of the provincial governments to release funds to railways to instal gates at the crossings.