DEOGHAR, INDIA – A tragic collision between a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims and a truck loaded with cooking gas cylinders has claimed the lives of at least 18 devotees in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district, officials confirmed on Tuesday. Visuals from the crash site showed extensive damage and fire engulfing the rear of the bus as a result of the collision.
Local MP Nishikant Dubey stated the pilgrims were en route to a shrine during the sacred month of Shravan, carrying holy Ganges water to offer at a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The priest announced: “Eighteen devotees lost their lives due to a bus and truck accident.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, calling the accident “extremely tragic” and extending sympathies to the victims’ families. Deoghar, known as a prominent pilgrimage centre during Shravan, draws thousands of worshippers annually.
Road safety experts noted that India records tens of thousands of traffic fatalities each year. In 2023 alone, more than 172,000 people died in road accidents, as explained by India’s Transport Minister in recent parliamentary briefings.
An official inquiry has been launched to determine the cause of the collision, with early reports suggesting driver fatigue as a potential factor in the incident.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.