Daijiworld Media Network- Deoghar
Deoghar, Jul 29: A pall of gloom descended on Jharkhand’s Deoghar district after a tragic road mishap claimed the lives of 18 Kanwariyas and left ten others injured near Jamuniya village on Tuesday morning.
The heart-wrenching incident took place amidst the auspicious Shravani Mela, when thousands of devotees undertake the sacred Kanwar Yatra to offer holy water at the revered Baba Baidyanath Dham temple.
According to initial reports, a private bus carrying around 35 pilgrims was headed towards Deoghar when it collided head-on with a truck laden with gas cylinders near the Shiva-Parvati temple in Mohanpur block. The impact of the collision was so severe that the bus was reportedly ripped apart, leading to the immediate death of many occupants.
Eyewitnesses recounted a horrifying scene, with cries for help resonating through the area. Several passengers were trapped within the mangled remains of the vehicle, prompting swift response from local police, medical teams, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), who launched a massive rescue operation.
Deoghar MP Nishikant Dubey expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “In my Lok Sabha constituency of Deoghar, 18 devotees lost their lives during the Kanwar Yatra due to a bus and truck collision. May Baba Baidyanath grant their families the strength to endure this grief.”
Emergency services rushed the injured to nearby primary health centres and Deoghar Sadar Hospital, where several victims remain in critical condition. Authorities are in the process of verifying identities of the deceased. Post-mortem examinations are currently underway.
Top district officials, including members of the police and civil administration, visited the accident site and hospitals to oversee ongoing rescue and medical arrangements. A crane was deployed to remove the wreckage, while preliminary investigations have been launched to ascertain whether driver negligence led to the fatal crash.
The tragic mishap has cast a shadow over the otherwise vibrant and spiritual Shravani Mela, leaving families shattered and devotees in mourning.