Kota: Three persons were killed and two others injured after a sleeper bus ferrying devotees from Maha Kumbh rammed into a truck on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan’s Kota district on Thursday morning.
A total of 57 people were travelling on the bus when the accident took place near the Karodia village of the district at around 6.30 am, police said. The impact of the crash was so massive that the bus driver’s cabin was left completely wrecked.
The pilgrims were returning to Madhya Pradesj’s Mandsaur after visiting the Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on the occasion of Maghi Purnima.
The truck was parked on the road near a toll plaza when the bus rammed into it from behind, Assistant Sub-Inspector Hariraj Singh said.
The deceased have been identified as Kishorilal (60), his wife Kailashibai (54) and Ashok – all natives of Madhya Pradesh. The injured were identified as Chamanlal and Parvati sustained and are being treated at MBS hospital, he said.
No other passengers on the bus suffered any injuries in the accident that was caused after the bus diver dozed off on the while. He fled from the spot after the crash and police are looking for him.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem and further investigation is underway, police added..