A head-on collision between a sports utility vehicle (SUV) and a school bus on Friday morning left four people injured, including a young student, in West Champaran district of Bihar. The accident was attributed to severely reduced visibility caused by dense fog.
Accident Details and Immediate Aftermath
The crash occurred near Baikunthwa Sthan on the busy Ramnagar-Lauria main road. According to statements from the scene, the SUV was traveling from Ramnagar towards Deurava village when it collided directly with the school bus coming from the opposite direction from Lauriya. All four injured persons were promptly provided first aid and later discharged from medical care, with no reports of serious injuries.
The injured have been identified as Atif Ali (9), a resident of Sabeya village, and the three passengers from the SUV: Abdul Sattar, Kaushar Ali, and Sanjar Alam, all from Deurwa village under the Lauriya police station area.
Rescue and Medical Response
Local residents played a crucial role in the immediate aftermath, rushing the injured to nearby medical facilities. Atif Ali, the student, was taken to the Ramnagar Community Health Centre (CHC). Dr. Rajesh Kumar from the CHC reported that the boy suffered a cut above his right eye, which required stitches. Given the minor nature of the injury, he was administered first aid and sent home.
The three other injured individuals were treated at a private nursing home in Ramnagar. Sub-Inspector Sanjay Kumar of Ramnagar police station confirmed that a team from the 112 emergency service reached the spot as soon as they were alerted and facilitated the transportation of the injured to hospitals.
Eyewitness Account and Police Information
One of the SUV passengers, Kaushar Ali, described the challenging conditions that led to the accident. "We were going from Ramnagar to Deurava village in an SUV. The school bus coming from Lauriya collided head-on with our SUV, as the visibility was poor due to the fog," he stated, highlighting the direct impact of the weather on road safety.
This incident underscores the recurring danger posed by dense winter fog across North India, particularly on highways and rural roads. It serves as a reminder for drivers to exercise extreme caution, use appropriate fog lights, and reduce speed during such low-visibility conditions to prevent similar mishaps.
