NEW DELHI: At least eight pilgrims, including five women, were killed and 16–17 others injured when the Tempo Traveller mini-bus they were travelling in to the Khatu Shyamji shrine skidded off a culvert on the Mumbai–Delhi Expressway in Kota district on Saturday (Oct 17) morning.
The ill-fated vehicle was carrying pilgrims from Bhopal to Khatu Shyamji Dham in Rajasthan’s Sikar district to pay obeisance at the famous pilgrimage centre when it skidded off a culvert near Samaliya Kardiya village and plunged into a 15-foot-deep muddy gorge around 6am, a police spokesperson said.
The driver may have dozed off and lost control of the vehicle, which crashed into the roadside railing on the eight-lane expressway.
Rescuers had to work hard to extricate the victims trapped inside the vehicle in the muddy gorge. Most of the victims either died on the spot or succumbed to their injuries while being taken to hospital.
The injured were rushed to MBS Hospital and New Medical College Hospital in Kota. Their condition was reported to be out of danger.
Most of the injured are from different parts of Betul district in Madhya Pradesh. The deceased have been identified as Raju, Suryavanshi, Om, Aruna, Vaishnavi, Trisha, Krishna and Anita, an official spokesperson said.
Lok Sabha Speaker and local MP Om Birla, District Collector Peeyush Samariya, and senior district administration and police officials visited the hospitals to oversee the medical care being provided to the injured.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and his predecessor, Ashok Gehlot, expressed shock and grief over the deaths and conveyed their condolences to the bereaved families.
Sharma also directed the authorities to ensure that the injured received prompt and proper medical treatment. - The Statesman/ANN
