MARGAO
Was the Balli accident involving a Bal Rath bus that took place on December 7 on the National Highway66 was a result of rash and negligent driving by the driver or for want maintenance?
The mystery behind the cause of the accident has come back to haunt the authorities again. While the bus driver Prabhakar Velip has maintained that the bus swerved off the road after the steering got locked when the bus as in motion, the Cuncolim police had registered a FIR against the bus driver for rash and negligent driving endangering to human life before sending a request to the Transport department to ascertain the exact cause behind the accident.
The Transport department has now sent a letter to the Cuncolim police stating that the opinion cannot be given as to the exact cause behind the accident.
Cuncolim Police Station in-charge, PI Diego Gracias told The Goan that since the Transport department has categorically stated that opinion cannot be given as to the cause of the Balli accident involving the Bal Rath bus, the police would continue to investigate into the accident.
Though the police did not arrest the bus driver after registration of the FIR, the police has sent him a notice to join the inquiry into the accident.
Soon after the accident leaving over 22 students of Cuncolim high school injured, the bus driver had claimed that the school bus swerved off the road at Ball on the NH66 after the steering got locked. The Cuncolim police, however, had booked the driver of the Bal Rath Bus under section 279 and 337 of the IPC for driving the school bus in a rash and negligent manner endangering to human life before losing control of his vehicle.
