Bus skids off road near Idar, driver killed

PALANPUR: The driver of a Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC ) bus was killed while nine others were injured when their vehicle skid off the road and turned turtle on Khedbrahma-Idar Road near Mathasur village in Sabarkantha district on Tuesday.
The injured were rushed to civil hospital in Himatnagar. The bus was on its way from Ambaji to Chhota Udepur.
Police sub-inspector V P Kothiya of Idar police station along with his team rushed to the spot and carried out rescue operations with help of locals. The injured were first taken to Idar and then to Himatnagar.
"The driver identified as Dalsukhbhai Parghi of Santrampur died on the spot. His body was taken out after cutting the window. There would have been more casualties had the trees not blocked the bus' descend," said Kothiya.
Bus conductor Ramanbhai Rathwa who is among the injured told police that steering wheel of the bus got locked automatically and this triggered the accident. He said the bus was having problems since the journey began from Chhota Udepur towards Ambaji. They had got it repaired at Bodeli bus depot. The bus was brought back on the road with the help of a crane.