Jabalpur:
Seven Andhra Pradesh pilgrims returning from Maha Kumbh died and two other sustained injuries after a mini-bus in which they were travelling collided with a truck in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district on Tuesday, a police official said.
The accident occurred on a 4-lane highway near a Canal area of Mohla Bargi village under Sihora police station limits in the district on Tuesday. The pilgrims travelling in the mini-bus are residents of Andhra Pradesh and were returning to their home after attending Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj.
The truck was going from Jabalpur to Katni when the driver lost his control and moved into the opposite lane and collided with the mini-bus. Upon receiving the information about the incident, the police reached the spot, removed the truck with the help of a crane and then rescued the passengers in the mini-bus, the police added.
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Suryakant Sharma told ANI, “A tempo traveller (mini bus) carrying passengers, residents of Andhra Pradesh, was returning from Prayagraj and a truck was going from Jabalpur to Katni. The truck got uncontrolled and veered into the opposite lane near Canal area of Mohla Bargi village under Sihora police station limits and collided with the mini bus. Seven people in the mini-bus died while two others sustained injuries who were referred for medical treatment in the accident.”
The truck was carrying some sort of marble powder. The truck was separated with the help of a crane. The injured were admitted to the hospital and those who died were sent for the post mortem, the officer said.
“An action has been initiated to register a case into the matter and the victims’ families have been contacted. Upon their arrival, the bodies will be handed over to them after the post mortem…It is a 4-lane highway with open space in the middle, but due to the absence of a divider, the truck crossed into the opposite lane, leading to the accident,” he added.
Additionally, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also expressed grief over the incident and said he ordered an investigation into the matter. He further added that the state government is making arrangements for the departure of the families to their home state.
“I came to know that a mini bus going towards Andhra Pradesh from Prayagraj met with an accident near Sihora in Jabalpur and seven people died in the accident. I pray to Baba Mahakal to provide strength to the family and make the departed souls rest in peace. I have ordered an inquiry into the matter and we are making arrangements for the respective families to return to Andhra Pradesh,”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
