Yamunanagar, November 6: Tension gripped Pratap Nagar in Yamunanagar district on Thursday after six college girls were injured when they fell from an overcrowded Haryana Roadways bus and came under its rear wheels. Two of them are reported to be in critical condition.
The accident triggered a protest at the Pratap Nagar bus stand, where students blocked buses for more than two hours, alleging that repeated appeals to increase bus frequency had gone unheard. “Nearly 300 students gather here daily, but only a few buses come. We risk our lives every morning,” said Anjali, a BCA student from DAV College.
Parents and students said that with few transport options and no dedicated college buses — except for DAV Girls College — most students depend on Haryana Roadways buses. “Private cabs charge about ₹2,000 a month, while the government buses are free for girls, so they have no other option,” said a parent.
The injured students — identified as Archita, Aarti, Muskan, Sanjana, Anjali, and Amandeep — were taken to the Community Health Centre in Pratap Nagar before being referred to the Yamunanagar Civil Hospital due to lack of medical facilities and even X-ray services at the CHC.
Police detained bus driver Anil Kumar and conductor Kamal for questioning. Preliminary inquiry suggests the bus accelerated while students were attempting to board it.
The incident has renewed calls for improved transport safety and infrastructure in rural Haryana, especially on student-heavy routes such as Chhikan and Khillonwala, which lack regular bus services.
