Seven people died and over 20 injured after a bus travelling from Rishikesh in Uttarakhand to Indore in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday lost control and caught fire after colliding with a trailer on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Dausa, Rajasthan. The incident happened in the Kolwa police station jurisdiction.
The bus was operated by Hans Travels of Indore.
Police said the rear portion of the bus caught fire after it fell into the ditch, triggering panic among passengers. Most of those on board were asleep at the time of the crash. According to eyewitnesses, the impact was severe enough to throw passengers sleeping on the upper berths off their seats, leaving several of them seriously injured, reported NDTV Rajasthan.
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Kolva police, ambulance teams and rescue personnel reached the spot soon after receiving information about the accident. With help from local residents, police rescued passengers trapped inside the vehicle and moved the injured to Dausa District Hospital. Officials said most passengers were evacuated safely before the fire could spread further.
Police have seized both the bus and the trailer and begun an investigation into the cause of the accident. Initial findings suggest the bus hit the trailer before losing control and falling into the ditch. Traffic on the expressway was briefly affected following the crash.
Additional Superintendent of Police Yogendra Faujdar, Deputy Superintendent of Police Dharmendra Kumar, Kotwali police station in-charge Bhagwan Sahay Sharma, Sub-Divisional Officer Sanju Meena and Tehsildar Gajanan Meena visited the district hospital and reviewed treatment arrangements. Officials directed doctors to ensure proper medical care for the injured.
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