5 killed, 20 injured as bus overturns in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur district

At least five people were killed and 20 others injured after a truck rammed into a passenger bus in Balodabazar district of Chhattisgarh on Friday, police said.

The accident occurred near Dalchura Chowk when a bus travelling from Raipur to Bilaspur stopped to pick up passengers waiting by the roadside.

According to preliminary information, the RBS passenger bus had halted after the driver noticed commuters standing near the road. Moments later, a truck coming from behind reportedly lost control and crashed into the rear portion of the bus. 

Officials said the impact of the collision was severe, causing extensive damage to the back of the bus. Several passengers were thrown from their seats due to the force of the crash, resulting in multiple injuries.

Panic gripped the area immediately after the accident as locals rushed to the spot and began rescue efforts. Residents helped pull out passengers trapped inside the damaged bus before emergency responders arrived.

Several injured passengers were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Authorities said some of the victims are in critical condition, raising concerns that the number of casualties could increase.

A team from the Simga Police Station reached the accident site soon after receiving information about the incident. Police personnel worked with locals to transport the injured to hospitals and manage the large crowd that gathered at the scene.

Confirming the fatalities, Simga Police Station House Officer Lakhesh Kewat said five deaths have been reported so far. He added that police are investigating the circumstances that led to the collision.

“The injured were immediately shifted to the hospital, and traffic movement was restored after clearing the road,” the officer said, adding that both the bus driver and the truck driver will be questioned as part of the investigation.

Following the crash, traffic in the area was temporarily disrupted as several vehicles halted on the road and onlookers gathered at the site. Police later cleared the crowd and began restoring normal traffic flow.

Initial findings suggest that the accident may have occurred due to the sudden stop of the bus combined with the high speed of the truck approaching from behind. Authorities are continuing their probe to determine the exact cause of the crash.