Jaipur, May 23 (IANS) In a major mishap on Saturday, a bus carrying pilgrims overturned in the Reni police station area of Alwar district on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan, leaving several passengers injured, including six who are said to be in a critical condition.

According to police, the accident occurred on the expressway after the bus reportedly lost control, crashed through the guardrail, veered into a nearby field, and overturned.

There were around 42 passengers on board, including 20 women, 10 men, and 12 children. While many sustained minor injuries, several passengers suffered serious wounds.

The injured were rushed to Pinan Hospital with the help of local residents and emergency teams. Due to the severity of their injuries, six passengers were later referred to Alwar District Hospital for advanced treatment. Preliminary investigations suggest that the driver may have briefly fallen asleep at the wheel, leading to the accident. Police officials are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash.

The impact of the accident was severe, leaving the bus badly damaged. Most passengers were asleep when the vehicle overturned. Survivors recalled waking up to a loud crash and finding themselves trapped inside the damaged bus amid panic and screams.

Police personnel and local villagers launched immediate rescue efforts, helping passengers escape from the overturned vehicle and shifting the injured to nearby hospitals through ambulances.

Among those admitted to Alwar District Hospital, the condition of four passengers remains critical. They have been identified as Geeta (63), wife of Harishankar from Sawai Madhopur; Lalita (57), wife of Omprakash from Gangapur City; Vimala (55), wife of Charulal from Khandar, Sawai Madhopur; and Harishankar (62), son of Gulabchand from Khandar, Sawai Madhopur.

According to locals, the devotees were travelling from Shyopura in Madhya Pradesh to Govardhan to participate in a Bhagwat Katha religious programme. Around 80 devotees were travelling in two buses, of which one bus carrying nearly 42 passengers met with the accident.

Reni SHO Bane Singh Meena reached the spot and supervised the rescue and relief operations. With the combined efforts of the police and local residents, all trapped passengers were safely evacuated from the overturned bus.

–IANS

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