Ranchi. In Ranchi, two people died after a bus caught fire. The police gave this information on Tuesday. He said that the incident took place around midnight at Khadgarha under Lower Bazar police station area, one of the busiest bus terminals in the state.
Police said they were investigating the cause of the fire, but prima facie it appears that the fire was caused by lighting candles inside the bus. The deceased have been identified as bus driver Madan Mahto (50) and Khalasi 25-year-old Ibrahim.
Police said that Mahto belonged to Gumla district, while Ibrahim was a resident of Chaibasa in West Singhbhum district. Vikas Aryan, station outpost in-charge of Khadgarha said, the incident took place around midnight when the bus driver and the helper were sleeping in the bus. They seem to have lit candles on the dashboard of the bus for Diwali. It is suspected that they must have been under the influence of alcohol, due to which they could not feel the heat of the fire in the beginning. He said that by the time the fire brigade got the information, the bus had burnt down. The bodies of both have been sent to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for post-mortem, he said.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren has expressed grief over the incident. He tweeted, “The death of the driver and the helper due to the fire in the bus at Khadgarha bus stand in Ranchi is extremely painful. May God give peace to the departed souls and give strength to the bereaved families in the hour of grief. (Language)
