Ranchi: A deadly accident involving a bus and a truck claimed the lives of 18 Kanwariyas and injured 10 others near Jamuniya village in Deoghar, Jharkhand, during the religious Shravani Mela on Tuesday.
The victims were part of a group of devotees heading to Baba Baidyanath Dham to offer holy water, a key ritual during this auspicious month of Shravan.
Deoghar MP Nishikant Dubey expressed condolences in a social media post: “Heartbroken over the death of 18 devotees from my constituency in a tragic accident. May Baba Baidyanath provide strength to their loved ones.”
The accident occurred in Mohanpur block near the banks of the Jamuniya River, when a bus carrying 35 pilgrims was struck by a truck transporting gas cylinders.
The collision’s force was immense. Witnesses recounted the chaos, with the bus virtually destroyed and passengers screaming in agony. Some were trapped in the wreckage.
The police, ambulance teams, and NDRF responded swiftly, pulling out the injured and recovering the deceased. The injured were taken to Deoghar Sadar Hospital and local clinics, where several remain in critical condition.
Local authorities and senior district officials reached the site for rescue coordination and hospital visits. A crane was used to remove the wreckage, and early investigations are examining possible driver negligence.
With inputs from IANS