In a tragic incident, 11 people hailing from Gujarat lost their lives, while a minimum of 15 sustained injuries following a collision between a trailer and their private bus in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan early Wednesday morning, as confirmed by the local authorities.
The ill-fated bus was en route from Gujarat to Mathura in Uttar Pradesh when the accident transpired at approximately 4:30 AM.
In response to this heartbreaking incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and sanctioned an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of those who perished, along with Rs 50,000 for the injured survivors.
Several prominent figures, including Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, extended their sympathies and condolences to the bereaved families.
According to law enforcement officials, the bus had momentarily come to a halt on the Antra flyover in the Lakhanpur area when the trailer collided with it from behind. Tragically, five men and six women lost their lives instantaneously. Some passengers standing near the bus were tragically crushed by the force of the trailer’s impact.
The gruesome scene resulted in the scattering of bodies along the highway. Reports of the accident reached the authorities through passing motorists who immediately alerted the police.
The victims, all residents of Dihor in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district, were swiftly transported to a local hospital. Regrettably, 11 of them were declared deceased upon arrival, according to the police.
The individuals who lost their lives in this tragic accident were identified as Antu, Nandram, Lallu, Bharat, Lalji, Madhuben (wife of Lalji), Ambaben, Kambuben, Ramuben, Anjuben, and Madhuben (wife of Arvind).
Expressing his sorrow over the loss of lives, Chief Minister Gehlot conveyed in a statement, “The demise of 11 pilgrims from Gujarat in the bus-trailer collision in Bharatpur is an immensely sorrowful incident. The police and administration are at the scene, and the injured have been promptly taken to hospitals for medical attention. My thoughts and prayers are with the departed souls and their grieving families. May they find solace, and may the injured recover swiftly.”
He further expressed these sentiments in Hindi, “I pray to God to give peace to the souls of all the deceased and courage to their families. May God give speedy recovery to all the injured.”
