Jharkhand: At least 18 people died and several others sustained injuries when a bus carrying Kanwariyas (Shiva devotees) collided with a gas truck,  loaded with cooking gas cylinders, in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district early Tuesday morning.

The tragic accident took place near Hansdiha around 4:30 am as the bus was en route to Baba Baidyanath Dham, one of the holiest shrines for Kanwar pilgrims during the Shravan month. The impact of the collision was so severe that the front portions of both vehicles were completely mangled.

Local authorities, along with police and rescue teams, rushed to the spot and began extracting victims trapped inside the wreckage. While 5 people were confirmed dead on site, over a dozen others were taken to nearby hospitals, with many reported to be in critical condition.

However, MP Nishikant Dubey, in a post on X, claimed that 18 Kanwariyas lost their lives in the accident. "Eighteen devotees have died in a bus-truck accident during the Kanwar Yatra in the month of Shravan in Deoghar in my Lok Sabha constituency. May Baba Baidyanath Ji give strength to their families to bear the loss," he posted on X.

The bus, reportedly carrying over 50 passengers, had departed from Bihar and was nearing its destination when the accident occurred.

The Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage in which devotees collect Ganga water to offer at Shiva temples, sees lakhs of pilgrims travelling by foot and vehicles across north India. Road accidents involving Kanwariyas have become a recurring concern during the season due to increased traffic and fatigue among long-distance travellers.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren condoled the death of the Kanwaiyas and said a rescue operation was being conducted by the district administration there.

"Very sad news has been received about the deaths of devotees travelling in a bus in an accident near Jamuniya chowk in Mohanpur block of Deoghar."

"The district administration is providing medical assistance to the injured with relief and rescue operations. May Baba Baidyanath grant peace to the souls of the devotees who died in the accident and give strength to the bereaved families to bear this moment of grief," Soren posted on X.

A forensic team has been dispatched to the site, and both vehicles have been seized for further investigation. Authorities are expected to file a detailed report on the incident.

(With ANI inputs)