Jaipur, Nov 23 A sleeper bus headed to pick up a wedding procession caught fire on Saturday evening after coming in contact with a high-tension electricity line in the Rajakheda police station area of Dholpur district in Rajasthan.
A female shepherd passing by sustained serious burn injuries in the incident. Police station in-charge Gambhir Singh said the accident occurred at around 5.15 p.m. in Samona village when the bus brushed against a low-hanging high-tension wire, sending an electric surge through the vehicle and triggering a massive fire.
The injured woman, identified as Bhagwan Devi, wife of Than Singh and a resident of Samona, suffered severe burn injuries while herding livestock. After receiving primary treatment, she was referred to Agra for specialised care. Five to six goats also died due to the electric shock.
A fire brigade team from Rajakheda reached the spot at around 5.45 p.m. and brought the blaze under control within 30 minutes.
The incident took place about 150 metres before the Government Higher Secondary School in Samona. The bus was on its way to the village to pick up a wedding party before heading to Sikandarpur. According to police, the driver misjudged the height of the sagging electricity line, causing the bus to get electrified.
As flames engulfed the vehicle, panic spread among villagers, who rushed to remove children and livestock from the area fearing a possible explosion due to the diesel tank. The driver and conductor fled the scene shortly after the incident. Police have launched efforts to trace them. Fortunately, no passengers were onboard at the time.
Saturday's fire incident comes weeks after a similar episode in Rajasthan, when a private bus caught fire after hitting an overhead line. That case had prompted local authorities to review the condition of power lines in rural belts, especially those running close to narrow village roads.
Local residents in Samona have also demanded immediate inspection of low-hanging high-tension lines in the area to prevent further accidents.
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