Three Killed, 34 Injured as Pilgrim Bus Collides with Truck in Koderma

Hazaribagh: Three pilgrims were killed and more than 34 others injured after a bus carrying Kanwariyas from Nepal collided with a truck in Koderma district of Jharkhand on Friday morning.

The accident took place near Pokhardia Mor under Satgawan police station limits. The bus was carrying around 45 pilgrims from Rautahat district of Nepal. The group had arrived in Deoghar about four days ago to offer prayers at the Baba Baidyanath Temple and was returning to Rajgir in Bihar when the accident occurred.

According to the injured passengers, the driver reportedly dozed off after driving through the night. As a result, the bus rammed into a truck parked on the roadside from behind. The impact was severe, leaving the front portion of the bus badly damaged and trapping several passengers inside.

Hearing the loud impact, local residents rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Satgawan police also reached the site and, with the help of villagers, rescued the passengers trapped inside the bus.

The deceased include two elderly persons and a 10-year-old boy identified as Shivam Kumar. Several passengers sustained serious injuries, particularly those sitting in the front cabin.

Satgawan police station in-charge Bablu Singh said the preliminary investigation indicated that driver fatigue and drowsiness may have caused the accident. All the injured were initially taken to the Community Health Centre at Satgawan. Those with serious injuries are being referred to Sadar Hospital, Koderma, for further treatment.

Police said further investigation into the accident is underway.