Tragic Bus Accident in Tarn Taran Blamed on Punjab Governments Negligence, Says NHRC Member

New Delhi, November 15 (Daily Kiran) : National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Priyank Kanungo has leveled serious accusations against the Punjab government regarding the recent bus accident in Tarn Taran. He claims that the incident is a direct result of negligence by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s administration. Kanungo announced that a summons has been issued to Punjab’s Chief Secretary, requiring an explanation at the NHRC office in Delhi by December 7 if necessary changes are not implemented by the deadline.

Kanungo emphasized that the NHRC had previously warned all state governments about sleeper coach buses in 2025. Citing a report from the Central Institute of Road Transport, he noted that structural modifications made to these buses violate established safety standards and guidelines. The design of these vehicles can lead to instability, making them prone to accidents. The commission had alerted all states to this potential danger.

Despite this warning, Kanungo criticized the Punjab government’s response, which he described as irresponsible. The government claimed that no sleeper coach buses were operating in the state. However, complaints later reached the NHRC indicating that such buses were indeed deployed throughout Punjab under the Chief Minister’s pilgrimage scheme, and they did not meet safety standards.

In October of this year, the NHRC again urged the Punjab government to rectify the situation. Instead of taking corrective measures, officials accused the commission of interfering with their work. Kanungo dismissed these claims as baseless, reiterating the NHRC’s warning that negligence could lead to a serious accident.

He raised concerns about accountability, questioning who would be responsible if another incident occurred. Kanungo highlighted that safety standards are being disregarded, and it is unfortunate that the Chief Secretary has not provided any information regarding corrective actions to the commission.

Following the recent accident, it was evident that the bus lost control due to its structural design, colliding with another vehicle. The incident resulted in the tragic loss of innocent lives. In response, the NHRC has summoned the Chief Secretary, stating that failure to implement necessary reforms by November 30 will necessitate an appearance in Delhi for clarification.

Kanungo made it clear that if government officials continue to ignore discipline, the NHRC will be forced to take more stringent actions against them. The commission has set a deadline of November 30 for the Punjab government to comply with all directives and has also requested a separate report on the accident. Failure to act by this date will lead to the Chief Secretary being required to explain the situation in Delhi on December 7.