Jamshedpur, Sept. 22: West Singhbhum administration has decided to perform DNA tests to identify five of the eight persons who died in the road accident in Hat Gamharia of the district yesterday.
Also, a magisterial inquiry has been set up to probe how the two speeding buses collided head-on and then burst into flames, which apparently increased the toll.
The two buses rammed into each other and caught fire in the impact on the Chaibasa-Noamundi stretch of state highway 75 at Balajuri, around 90km from Jamshedpur, about 3.45pm yesterday, leaving eight persons, including an infant, dead and 39 injured.
Sources said while three deceased - Radhi Gagrai (6 months) of Hat Gamharia, Mahabir Mukhi (64) of Majhgaon and Chandmani Hessa (26) of Kumardungi - had been identified, the other five were charred beyond recognition.
West Singhbhum DC Shantanu Kumar Agrahari said the three bodies had already been identified and handed over to their families. But the five bodies could not be identified and had been sent to MGM Medical College for DNA tests.
"We have circulated a helpline number (06582-255164) for family members to contact us. Whoever comes to claim the bodies, we will perform their DNA tests and match them with the charred bodies," Agrahari said.
Later, Chaibasa SDO Amar Kumar said one person turned up this evening to claim one of the charred bodies, apparently that of Sini Pingua from Majhgaon. "The body will be handed over if the claimant's DNA matches with that of the deceased," he added.
The administration has set up a magisterial team, headed by the Chaibasa SDO, to find out the cause of the mishap as well as the fire. "We have contacted the Ranchi-based forensic science laboratory to detect the cause of the fire," he said.
Nineteen of the injured persons were admitted to Tata Main Hospital in serious condition, but there condition is stable now. Seven others are recuperating at MGM Medical College and Hospital while 13 are being treated at Chaibasa sadar hospital.
Sakuntala Purty (30), one of the injured at MGM hospital, said there was no emergency exit in Tamanna bus, which was coming from Chaibasa. As a result, the passengers got trapped inside the bus. There was no emergency exit in Maa Parvati bus either.
Health minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi visited Tata and MGM hospitals last night while Rajya Sabha member Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu met the injured today.
