PESHAWAR: At least 12 persons lost their lives when a bus coming from Lahore to Peshawar fell into a ditch near Nowshera on Tuesday.

Rescue officials said a passenger bus on its way from Lahore to Peshawar fell into a ditch near Jabba Daudzai, Camp Koroona, after the driver fell asleep.

The Rescue 1122 teams from Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan and Charsadda have reached the accident site and are taking part in the rescue activities. So far, 33 injured persons have been shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) Peshawar.

Rescue 1122 Nowshera in-charge Dr Mir Alam said the death toll may increase as some of the injured persons were in critical condition.

Station House Officer (SHO) of Akbarpura Police Station said the bus which met the accident had registration number LES-388 and women and children were also travelling in it. He said a large number of local people also immediately arrived at the accident site to help in the rescue activities.

The deputy commissioner said emergency has been imposed in the hospitals of Nowshera and Peshawar.

Sexual abuse accused arrested

Nowshera Police has arrested an accused allegedly involved in murdering a five-year-old girl after sexual abuse.

District Police Officer (DPO) Najmul Hasnain said the alleged culprit is a neighbour of the victim girl who has also confessed to his crime during initial interrogation. The DPO said the accused is 18-year-old and he killed the innocent girl after sexual abuse due to fear of being exposed.

The police officer said the accused was also searching for the missing girl along with her parents and relatives when she went missing to deceive the law enforcers in the investigation. He said the clothes and other evidences have been sent for forensic tests. He said the girl was killed two days ago and police are waiting for arrival of post mortem report.

A five-year-old girl was brutally killed allegedly after sexual abuse in Hamza Rashka area of Nowshera on Saturday. Police said the victim girl, Samia, went out of her house for playing, but did not return upon which announcements were made in the mosques. People of the village start search for the missing girl and found her body stuffed in a sack.