Protests Rock Pakur After School Bus Accident Claims Life of Delivery Executive

Pakur: Anger erupted across Pakur town in Jharkhand on Tuesday after a school bus was involved in a fatal accident that killed a young delivery executive near the district headquarters.

In response to the incident, hundreds of people staged protests, blocking major roads and forcing shops and markets to close. The situation became so tense that police were unable to immediately proceed with the post-mortem of the deceased.

The accident occurred at around 9 a.m. near Gandhi Chowk, a crowded traffic intersection, when a school bus hit a scooter. The rider sustained serious head injuries and died instantly.

The victim was identified as Mridul Saha, around 18, a resident of Talwadanga village. According to his family, he worked for a quick-delivery company and was the only source of income for his household.

Soon after the incident, local residents assembled at the spot and began protesting. The body was placed on the road as demonstrators accused the administration and police of failing to manage traffic effectively.

Protesters alleged that traffic rules were routinely violated in the area, claiming that heavy vehicles and buses were allowed to ply even in no-entry zones, leading to repeated accidents.

The agitating crowd blocked several key roads by putting up barricades, bringing traffic to a standstill and causing long jams throughout the city.

The situation worsened when protesters marched to the city police station, set tyres on fire, and raised slogans against the police. They demanded the arrest of the bus driver, seizure of the vehicle, and financial assistance for the bereaved family.

Senior police officials later intervened and held discussions with the protesters, assuring them of strict action and a transparent investigation. Following the assurance, the roadblocks were lifted by around 4 p.m.

With inputs from IANS