West Champaran: At least five people lost their lives and two others sustained injuries late Friday evening after a speeding passenger bus ran over a crowd watching an orchestra performance in a village near Lauriya, located in Bihar’s West Champaran district. The incident occurred around 11:00 p.m. at Bankatwa Parautola during a Chhathi ceremony organized to celebrate the birth of a newborn.
According to local police officials, the festive gathering had spilled onto the adjacent roadway to view the musical show when the bus, travelling from Gorakhpur toward Bettiah, went out of control and ploughed directly into the spectators. The impact caused immediate chaos, leaving several people trapped beneath the vehicle before nearby residents rushed to assist the victims.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer Jai Prakash Singh confirmed that two individuals died on the spot due to the severity of their injuries, while three others succumbed to their wounds during emergency treatment at a government hospital. Two injured persons continue to receive medical care for their conditions.
Following the collision, the driver initially sped away from the immediate scene before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing the area on foot. Law enforcement personnel have seized the bus, registered a case regarding the incident, and initiated a search operation to locate and apprehend the absconding driver.
