August 31, 2007	Friday	Sha’aban 17, 1428

KHAIRPUR, Aug 30: Four men were killed and more than 30 suffered injuries when their buses carrying devotees mainly from upcountry to the shrine of Qalandar Lal Shahbaz in Sehwan overturned after their tie-rods broke in three separate accidents on Thursday.

They were going to Sehwan to attend the annual Urs of Qalandar Lal Shahbaz, which commences from Sept 1.

In the first accident, two men were killed and eight injured when their bus overturned near Rohri Achha Quba after its tie-rod broke. Iqbal and Usman who belonged to Punjab died on the spot while Mohammad Ramzan, Gul Mohammad, Kousar, Shoukat and four others were injured. They were moved to Sukkur and Rohri hospitals.

In the other accident, two men were killed on the spot and over twenty suffered injuries when their bus overturned on the National Highway at the Rasoolabad Mangangpur bus stop.

The number of deaths might increase given the critical condition of many injured persons. The bus was carrying devotees from the Punjab to Sehwan.

In the third mishap, 15 people were injured when a coach carrying devotees from Khanpur, Punjab, overturned near Naushahro Feroze on Thursday after its tie-rod snapped.

The injured, including Riaz Ali, Humera, Mohammad Aslam, Mohammad Shaharyar, Nazar Ahmed, Ghulam Abbas, Shahnawaz, Ghulam Qasim, Abdul Malik, Ahmed and Atta Mohammad were moved to Civil Hospital Naushahro Feroze.

The coach’s driver managed to escape while police impounded the coach. No FIR was lodged till the filing of this report.