Thanjavur: A girl student of the Government Arts College died on the spot and 56 passengers were grievously injured when the minibus in which they were travelling overturned near Thanjavur today. The ill-fated minibus, packed to its capacity, was on its way to Thanjavur from Kalancheri village, when the mishap occurred.

Bus driver Prabhu was reportedly busy talking over his mobile phone when he attempted to negotiate a bend on the road at Gudalur village. The bus lost control and overturned on a field on the roadside. In the mishap, Swetha (19), native of Kalancheri village and studying her first year BA at Kundhavai Nachiar Government Arts College for Women in Thanjavur , died on the spot while 56 others, including about twenty women, were grievously injured.

All the injured were rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Thanjavur. The condition of two passengers is said to be critical. The bus driver and conductor managed to flee from the scene soon after the mishap.

Irate public resorted to road blockade at two places demanding action against the bus driver. Traffic on the busy Thanjavur-Kumbakonam was disrupted for about two hours. Police pacified the protesters and assured them of action against the bus driver. Search is now on for the absconding driver.

This is the second accident involving a minibus in Thanjavur in less than 24 hours. A minibus on the Papanasam-Pullapoothangudi route overturned yesterday, injuring 10 passengers, including the headmistress of the Pullapoongudi Government Higher Secondary School. In this case too, the driver, Anand, was busy talking on the mobile phone while the accident occurred. He too had fled the scene soon after the accident.