TEAM HERALD
PONDA: About 20 workers from Kundaim Industrial Estate were injured when the bus in which they were travelling collided with a loaded truck at Mangueshi junction in Ponda on Friday evening.
According to Ponda Police, the accident occurred at about 5.30 pm when workers from the Kundaim Industrial Estate were returning home after their work in the ill-fated bus. The bus was proceeding towards Ponda, while the truck was on its way to Panjim.
Police further informed that both the vehicles collided with each other while crossing the road at Mangueshi junction, before going off the road. The bus hit a coconut tree, while both the vehicles were badly damaged in the accident.
Police said 20 workers were injured, seven of them grievously, and admitted to GMC Hospital at Bambolim. They have been identified as Puja Naik (24) from Bhoma, Tara Zalmi (24) from Veling, Sheetal Gaonkar (20) from Bethora, Mantu Kumar (21) from Shantinagar, Dharmendra Yadav (30) and two other workers, including the driver Pritesh Naik.
The other injured workers receiving treatment at Sub District Hospital Ponda are Tukaram Gavde (19), Mamta Gurav (19), Puja Mahesh Naik (24), Mega Gaonkar (37), Diksha Gavde (30), Suraj Naik (49), Surat Naik (35), Manda Kolekar (25), Ritesh Guru Tari (20), Sarita Gavde (30), Shiva Bomkar (25), Manta Kumar Prajapati (25), Pradeep Naik (42) and Sanjay Raj (27).
Meanwhile, Veling Priol Sarpanch Damodar Naik and the locals have demanded installation of speed breakers at Mangueshi junction, as many accidents have taken place while the vehicles are in the process of crossing the junction.
It may be recalled that a doctor studying at Shiroda college died after his motorcycle was hit by a bus at the junction.
