There was reportedly no first aid kit on the bus.
An early morning trip to Kanheri Caves turned into a nightmare for a 20-year-old student on Saturday as the bus she was travelling in with her relatives and other tourists met with an accident. To makes things worse, she alleged that they received no help from the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) officials post the accident.
Megha Dandwani, who hails from Bhopal and was visiting her sister Monica Balchandani in Andheri, along with her relatives from Nainital to celebrate the new year, was onboard the 40-seater bus run by SGNP from the park's main gate to Kanheri Caves.
“The driver was driving fast and suddenly we realised that he braked to avoid an oncoming car after which he completely lost control and the bus started hurtling backwards and even as everyone was shouting he could not stop it and the bus overturned in a small ditch,” said Megha, adding that there was commotion and several people were stuck in broken seats.
Megha who got hit on the cheek bone realised she was bleeding from the mouth. “The exit to the bus was from the left and since the bus had fallen on the left side some people started using the drivers exit to get out. Soon locals began breaking the window panes and rescuing people,” she said. Megha said that throughout this there was no sign of the driver and the attendant, who seemed to have fled, nor were any forest official were on the spot.
With no mobile network, Megha could not even contact Monica who was waiting for them unaware of what had happened. “Seeing me bleeding a tourist stopped his car and, along with another severely injured woman, took me to the main gate. Almost 40 minutes had passed but the official at the gate seemed clueless and in spite of telling them about the accident did not know what to do,” she said angrily.
Meanwhile, Monica managed to get in touch with Megha and decided to rush to the main gate. “By the time I reached the gate even my other relatives, including three children, had reached the gate but what upset me that there was no forest department staff to assist them or others injured,” she said. While Megha was taken to Sanjeevani hospital in Malad, the kids had to be taken to Holy Family hospital as they had received injuries due to glass shards.
An upset Monica said that it was completely irresponsible on the part of the forest department to not have first aid in the bus. Several victims claimed that the bus did not seem to be in good condition.
According to the forest department, even the bus attendant received severe injuries and had a fracture in his left hand, while the driver too had minor injuries.“We are conducting a detailed inquiry into the incident. Also, a detailed medical of the driver has been done. It seems the driver, after helping some people, left the site to get more help as there was no mobile network,” said Chief Conservator of Forest Anwar Ahmed, adding that the forest staff did go to the hospital but in the meantime, some had already left with injured.
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 "Megha Dandwani, who was injured in the accident")
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