While passers-by did help the injured victims, the experiences varied.
While passers-by did help the injured victims, the experiences varied. Two motorcyclists told DNA they did not receive help easily, but a commerce student was rushed to the hospital on time. These accidents took place outside the state transport bus depot and near Vega Centre on Shankarshet Road.
“I am happy I escaped with little injury,” said Sagar (name changed on request). “I reached Pune after visiting my family in Uttar Pradesh. I work in Andhra Pradesh. I was hopping jobs, so I had a vacation of one month. My cousin Santosh (name changed on request) works in Pune. He picked me up in the morning and while returning home we stopped at a signal near Vega Centre on Shankarshet Road. We suddenly saw a state transport bus coming in the wrong direction in the traffic lane. Before we could understand what happened, the bus crushed two autorickshaws and dashed an Innova car that was ahead of us. The Innova turned 360 degrees and pushed us aside and we jumped from the bike at the same time. This spinning of the car saved us.”
Santosh (Sagar’s cousin), a marketing executive in Pune, told DNA, “I was riding the bike and before I could understand what the bus driver was up to, Sagar and I jumped off my bike. As I got up my right hand went numb and there was a swelling. Sagar was bleeding profusely as he had a cut on his right foot. I requested many people to take my cousin to the hospital, but most people refused, saying it is a police case. Finally, one uncle on an Activa dropped Sagar at Ranka Hospital. I went there and found that my right wrist was fractured. The fruit sellers at the accident spots were also injured. I am sure the autorickshaw drivers and the Innova driver were seriously injured as the autorickshaw was almost crushed. The fruit carts were damaged and some people were lying on the road. Some people from the state transport corporation visited us at the hospital and made us fill up forms saying they will pay the hospital bills. I am worried what will happen to the ones who lost their lives, what compensation will they pay to their families. It is a huge loss that cannot be repaid.”
Near Vega Centre, Ritu Dodeja (20), a second year student of Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce sustained a head injury resulting in a swelling in the brain. Her father, Sanjay Dodeja, resident of Meera Society on Shankarshet Road, passers-by rushed her to a nearby hospital for first aid and then to Sahyadri Hospital at Deccan in an ambulance.
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