Pakur, Jharkhand erupted in fury following a horrific school bus accident that claimed the life of young Mridul Saha on Tuesday. The 18-year-old scooter rider from Talwadaanga village was fatally struck near Gandhi Chowk, prompting spontaneous protests that choked the city’s arteries and shuttered businesses.
Eyewitnesses described the morning chaos at 9 AM when the overloaded bus collided with Saha’s scooter, crushing his skull and killing him instantly. Employed as a delivery boy at Jio Mart, he was the family’s only support pillar. His parents’ grief-stricken cries echoed as they mourned their sole provider.
Locals swiftly mobilized, surrounding the accident site with the victim’s body and halting all movement. Their primary grievance: rampant disregard for traffic norms in Gandhi Chowk, a no-entry zone invaded by buses and trucks, breeding a culture of deadly mishaps.
Blockades spread to multiple thoroughfares, stranding vehicles and infuriating residents. The protesters’ march to the police station intensified the drama, with tire bonfires and demands for justice ringing out. ‘Arrest the driver now!’ they shouted, refusing to budge without guarantees.
Police brass intervened with promises of impartial investigation and compensation. After hours of negotiation, the roads reopened at 4 PM. This heartbreaking event calls for immediate overhaul of Pakur’s traffic infrastructure, lest more young lives are lost to negligence.