Daijiworld Media Network - Patna

Patna, Aug 22: Five people were killed and more than half a dozen injured after a passenger bus veered off the road and crashed into a roadside orchestra gathering in Bihar's West Champaran district, police said.

The accident occurred near Parau Tola Bankatwa on the Bettiah-Lauriya main road in the Lauriya police station area late on Friday night. An orchestra programme had been organised as part of a Chhathiyar ceremony at the residence of Shatrughan Dubey.

According to eyewitnesses, a Shahi Travels passenger bus travelling from Gorakhpur towards Bettiah was approaching the area at around 11.50 pm when a speeding truck came from the opposite direction.

While attempting to avoid a collision, the bus driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle and rammed into the gathering beside the road.

Five people died on the spot. The deceased were identified as Bahadur Mahto, Sanjay Kumar, Bhola Dubey, Devendra Dubey and Chhangur Ram, all residents of Bankatwa.

Devendra Dubey was the father of the child whose Chhathiyar ceremony was being celebrated.

More than half a dozen people were injured in the crash, including Vinay Kumar Yadav, Shyam Babu, Moti Chandra Mahto and Naresh Ram. Police and local residents rushed the injured to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Bettiah for treatment.

The accident triggered anger among local residents, who damaged both the bus and truck involved in the collision.

Narkatiaganj SDPO Jayprakash Singh reached the spot and helped bring the situation under control.

Police took custody of the bodies and sent them to GMCH Bettiah for post-mortem examinations. An investigation has been launched to determine the exact circumstances that led to the crash.

West Champaran police registered an FIR against the drivers of the bus and truck under provisions relating to rash and negligent driving. Both drivers are reportedly on the run, and efforts are underway to trace and arrest them.

The tragedy plunged Bankatwa village into mourning, leaving the families of the deceased devastated.

The incident has also raised concerns over the safety of large public gatherings and roadside events organised without adequate safety measures or sufficient clearance for passing traffic.