A shocking tumble on the Banga flyover

In the early hours of Monday, just before dawn, a Volvo tourist coach carrying 41 people on the Manali‑Amritsar circuit lost traction on a flyover near the village of Mazari and careened down the adjoining slip road. The incident, which occurred at roughly 4:40 a.m., sent tremors through the quiet town of Banga in Punjab.

Fatalities and the injured

The collision claimed four lives. Those confirmed dead include Josna George, a student from Kerala attending Lovely Professional University, chartered accountant Vishal Rattu of Amritsar, and Aditya Gautam from Ludhiana. The identity of the fourth victim is still being verified.

Sixteen passengers were left with serious injuries and were rushed to nearby medical facilities. Authorities later transferred the most critical cases to better‑equipped hospitals in Banga. The remaining 21 travelers escaped with minor or no injuries and were escorted away from the wreckage with their luggage in tow.

Rescue effort and police action

Banga’s senior police officer, DSP Harjit Singh Randhawa, arrived on the scene within minutes of the first emergency call. Rescue teams forced open the twisted chassis, extricating trapped passengers and securing personal belongings. Ambulances ferried the wounded to hospitals, while the bodies of Josna George and Vishal Rattu were handed over to their families after post‑mortem examinations. The other remains are being stored at the Shivpuri Baba Gola mortuary.

Driver arrested and probe launched

Investigators took the driver, Vivek Kumar of Sharna village, Balh (Ratti) in Himachal Pradesh, into custody. A case has been lodged against him under the Indian Penal Code, with officials exploring whether fatigue, mechanical failure or another form of negligence caused the vehicle to veer off the flyover.

Police are reviewing CCTV footage, interviewing eyewitnesses, and examining the bus’s maintenance records to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the tragic plunge.

Community response and aftermath

Banga’s residents remain in mourning as families await further updates. The disaster has revived calls for stricter safety inspections of tourist buses and for enhanced driver‑alertness measures on high‑speed routes.