Shimla, Apr 13 : A woman lost her life and several were injured when an HRTC electric bus went out of control at an old bus stand in Shimla.

The chaos unfolded as the bus driver, Praveen Kumar from Sarkaghat, rammed into a parked bus, a bike, and a car at the taxi stand, before fleeing the scene.

The deceased has been identified as 48-year-old Radha, a resident of Junga Shimla, while the injured include Bhagat Ram (58), an HRTC employee.

Eyewitnesses recounted the harrowing moment when the electric bus, reportedly parked behind an HRTC bus, collided with such force that it dragged the parked bus forward, striking the railing and people standing nearby.

SP Shimla Sanjeev Gandhi confirmed the tragic death and the bus driver was immediately suspended by the HRTC management.

Driver Praveen Thakur, with 12 years of service in HRTC, hails from Sarkaghat in Mandi district and has previously worked in Rohru and Keylong depots.

Vinod Sharma, the Regional Manager, emphasized the negligence involved and announced a suspension while providing Rs 25,000 as immediate relief to the deceased woman’s family.

This incident underscores the need for stringent safety measures and vigilance in public transport systems to prevent such tragic accidents, SP added.

UNI