By IANS
New Delhi : The capital's notorious Blueline buses were at it again Wednesday. While a man was critically injured after falling from an overcrowded bus, a teenager was badly hurt after being hit by a Blueline even as the crackdown on the "killer" buses intensified.
R.K. Pandey, 52, fell from an overcrowded Blueline bus at around 8:30 a.m. near the Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) in north Delhi. The bus was plying between Anand Vihar and Mori Gate.
According to the police, Pandey received head injuries and was admitted to St. Stephens Hospital, where his condition was said to be critical.
"How he fell is not yet known and the bus driver and conductor fled the scene after the accident. We have impounded the bus and further investigations are underway," a police official said.
In a separate incident, a teenager was hurt when a Blueline bus hit him while he was getting down from a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus in Sagarpur area in west Delhi, police said.
The victim, who has not yet been identified, was rushed to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital and was reported to be recuperating. Soon after the incident occurred, an irate mob smashed the windows of the DTC bus. Both drivers fled the spot.
"We have impounded both buses and efforts are on to search for their drivers," the official said.
Meanwhile, the traffic police and Delhi's transport department continued their crackdown against errant buses for the second day, triggering a shortage of buses on city roads.
But police said not many buses had been impounded Wednesday and that Blueline buses could voluntarily be staying off roads due to the strict drive.
"Very few buses were prosecuted as compared to Tuesday. We had orders not to impound them as it may disturb the law and order situation in the capital," a police official told IANS.
Bluelines have killed 61 people so far this year and injured at least 145, according to police data. These "killer" buses have mowed down five people, including two teenagers, in July alone.
Between July 1 and July 7, the owners of 4,090 Blueline buses were prosecuted and 60 drivers were arrested.