Jaipur, Jan 20 (IANS) A horrific road accident on the Jaisalmer Highway in Jodhpur claimed the lives of four people and left 24 others injured after a private bus collided with a gypsum-laden tanker on Tuesday evening.

The accident occurred near the Mulanada royalty checkpoint under the Rajiv Gandhi Nagar police station area. The condition of the two injured passengers remains critical.

In another tragic incident, a young motorcyclist’s leg was severed after he was hit by the speeding tanker moments before it rammed into the bus.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (Pratap Nagar) Ravindra Bothra, the bus was carrying 47 passengers, including women and children, from Aravalli and Sabarkantha districts of Gujarat. The pilgrims were returning after visiting the Baba Ramdev Temple in Ramdevra.

The accident took place at around 4:30 pm, when the tanker, reportedly moving at high speed from the opposite direction, first struck a motorcycle and then collided head-on with the bus.

The impact was so severe that both vehicles were extensively damaged, trapping several passengers inside the bus.

Residents rushed to the spot and alerted the police and ambulance services. Rescue teams worked for over an hour to extricate the injured passengers from the mangled bus.

A total of 28 injured persons were shifted to Mathuradas Mathur Hospital. After medical examination, four passengers were declared dead: Rawal Vinu (50), son of Chiman, resident of Sabarkantha, Suresh (36), son of Lala, resident of Talukantha, Jayesh, resident of Modasa and Vinu, resident of Modasa, Aravalli district. Doctors said the condition of two victims remains critical, while others are undergoing treatment.

Police have registered a case and are investigating the cause of the accident. Preliminary findings suggest overspeeding by the tanker as a major factor.

Traffic on the Jaisalmer Highway was disrupted for some time but was later restored.

Authorities have appealed to motorists to follow traffic rules and avoid overspeeding, especially on highway stretches prone to heavy vehicle movement.

–IANS

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