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| Friday,
April 13, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Nine die in bus
accident Barnala, April 12 According to reports, the mishap took place around 9.40 a.m. The ill-fated bus was going from Pakho Kanchian to Tapa. Near the Dhilwan drain, while trying to save a cyclist, the minibus (carrying passengers on the roof also), got out of control and slipped into a pool of dirty drain water after overturning. Nine victims died on the spot and 20 sustained injuries. Dr S.S. Toor, Chief Medical Officer, Civil Hospital, Barnala, said most of the victims brought to the hospital for autopsy died of asphyxia. Those killed in the mishap are Rajwinder Singh, alias Bhola, bus owner (Tapa), Balbir Kaur, Avtar Singh (Maachhike village), Amarjit Kaur (Dhilwan), Bhagwant Kaur (Sehna) Davinder Singh and his wife Kulwant Kaur (Bihla), and Gurmeet Singh (Kotduna). One body could not be identified. Fourteen injured were rushed to Tapa hospital while six others who received minor injuries sought treatment from private doctors. On learning about the mishap, Civil Administration Officers rushed to the spot as well as hospitals to inquire about the victims and offer relief. Mr Anirudh Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur, Mr Ajaib Singh Kaleka, SSP, Barnala, Dr C.P. Bansal, Civil Surgeon, Sangrur, visited Barnala and Tapa hospitals. Mr Gobind Singh Longowal, Punjab Minister of State for Irrigation, and Mr Balbir Singh Ghunas, MLA Bhadaur too visited Barnala Civil Hospital to console the bereaved families. Mr Madan Lal, Chairman, Sahara Club Tapa (a social welfare service club), complained to Mr Longowal, who is also MLA of Dhanaula and the Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur, about the poor medical services in Tapa hospital. He said ambulance service in Tapa hospital was not available during this emergency. |
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43 die in football match stampede Durban, April 12 The tragedy took place during the soccer match between South Africa’s two top football clubs, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. Earlier figures released by a police spokesman had put the death toll at 47 but another spokesman later put the toll at 43. The dead included women and a child. Thousands of fans who failed to get into the fully-packed Ellis Park Stadium, tried to push their way in and during the attempt, were crushed against the barbed wires, eye witnesses said. At this stage, the two teams were tied at 1-1 and only half an hour of the game had been played. At least 1,20,000 spectators had turned up at the 68,000-seat stadium, state broadcaster SABC, which televised the incident live as it covered the game, said. The resulting chaos saw people lying in pools of blood, surrounded by medical staff with the injured being taken off in emergency helicopters and vehicles. President Thabo Mbeki, who watched the gruesome incident on TV, today called for an urgent inquiry into the tragedy. Spokesperson in Mr Mbeki’s office Tazneem Carrim said the President was shocked at the loss of lives and injuries to football fans. “The President has called for an urgent inquiry to ensure that such a tragedy does not occur again,” she said. Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour, blamed the organisers of the match, the Professional Soccer League for the tragedy. “This tragedy demonstrates that not enough care was given to security and other arrangements for the control of such large number of people. Those responsible must account for the tragedy,” said Mr Balfour. Mr Balfour would be holding an emergency meeting with soccer officials in Johannesburg later in the day.
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