SHEIKHUPURA, Nov 9: Nine people were killed and 35 others injured, five of them seriously, in a road accident on Muridke-Narowal Road near Choura Rajputan village on Friday.

According to reports reaching here, a bus was on its way to Narowal from Faisalabad when it plunged into a roadside ditch after hitting a motorcyclist coming from the opposite side near Choura Rajputan.

Nine people, including two brothers Qamar and Haider, Owais, Nawaz, Nawazish, Owais Ahmad and motorcyclist Imtiaz, died on the spot, while 35 others, including six women, sustained injuries.

Seriously injured Ansar, Javed, Hamza, Falak Sher and Sureya Bibi were taken to hospital, while the others were provided first aid on the spot.

Following the accident, villagers protested against the traffic police and alleged that the wardens on duty between Muridke and Narang Mandi never bothered to check vehicles’ condition and their speed.

They demanded of the National Highway Authority (NHA) to construct speed-breakers on the road to avoid accidents in future.