Punjab Newsline | Jalalabad
A major tragedy was narrowly avoided after a school van carrying 13 children overturned into a paddy field on the link road connecting Chak Sukhera and Dibbipura villages in Punjab's Jalalabad area. The accident occurred after the van reportedly lost control due to the absence of a proper roadside shoulder (berm).
Fortunately, no fatalities were reported. However, a few children sustained minor injuries in the mishap.
According to eyewitness Deepu Daudhi, who was riding behind the van, the vehicle suddenly became unbalanced and veered off the road before overturning into the field. Hearing the children's cries, he rushed to the scene and, along with nearby villagers, rescued all the children from the overturned van.
The van driver was also trapped after his hand got stuck beneath the vehicle. Villagers managed to pull him out safely after considerable effort.
Village Sarpanch Khaira Singh alleged that farmers had removed the roadside berms and merged them into their fields, making the road unsafe. As a result, vehicles attempting to give way to oncoming traffic often lose balance and meet with accidents.
Local residents claimed that although the link road is officially recorded as being around 22 feet wide, encroachment and the disappearance of the roadside shoulders have reduced its usable width to nearly 11 feet, significantly increasing the risk of accidents.
