A 32-year-old woman died after falling from a moving bus near Seema Chowk in Chatra district late Saturday night, allegedly due to the driver's negligence, police said on Sunday.
Victim Identified
The deceased, Rita Devi, was a resident of Seema village in Tandwa block under the Sadar police station limits. According to Officer-in-Charge of Sadar police station, Awadhesh Kumar Singh, the incident occurred when Rita was alighting from the bus after returning from Chatra. The driver suddenly moved the vehicle while one of her feet was still on the footboard, causing her to lose balance and fall onto the road. She sustained critical injuries and was rushed to the Chatra sadar hospital by locals, but she died on the way.
Family Left Behind
Rita Devi was a widow and is survived by five minor children—two sons and three daughters—who are now orphaned. The tragedy has left the family and community in shock.
Protest and Road Blockade
In protest against the incident, villagers and relatives placed the body on the Chatra-Simaria Main Road from around 2 am on Sunday, demanding strict action against the driver and adequate compensation for the victim's family. The blockade caused long queues of vehicles on both sides of the road, leaving commuters stranded throughout the night. The roadblock was lifted around 11 am after Circle Officer Anil Kumar and OC Singh assured the family of compensation under government provisions and support for the children's upbringing and education.
Legal Action
OC Singh confirmed that the bus involved in the incident has been seized and legal proceedings have been initiated against the driver. The investigation is ongoing.
