Ranchi, 29 Kuly

At least six Kanwariyas were killed and 24 others injured on Tuesday after a collision took place between a bus with passengers on board and a truck, loaded with cooking gas cylinders, in Jharkhand's Deoghar district, officials said.

The accident occurred around 5.30 am near the Jamuniya forest under the Mohanpur Police Station limits when the bus collided with the commercial vehicle, they said.

"Six devotees were killed and 24 others injured in the accident at Jamuniya Chowk in Deoghar. Eight of the 24 injured have been shifted to AIIMS, Deoghar, while the remaining are undergoing treatment at Sadar Hospital," Deoghar Deputy Commissioner Naman Priyesh Lakra said.

Earlier, Inspector General (Dumka Zone) Shailendra Kumar Sinha told PTI that the accident occurred after the bus with Kanwariyas on board collided head-on with the truck transporting gas cylinders.

Following the collision, the driver fell from the bus and the passenger vehicle, without anyone behind the steering wheel, continued moving for some time and stopped after hitting a stack of bricks, the IG said.

The bus was severely damaged, he added.

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.

However, the police confirmed that only six people lost their lives, while the condition of two others is serious.

Kanwariyas are devotees of Lord Shiva.

At least 24 Kanwariyas were injured in the accident and taken to various hospitals and nearby primary health centres, including the Saraiyahat PHC in Dumka, another officer said.

Casualties may increase as the condition of several injured is serious, he added.

The district administration has been alerted after the accident, he said.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren condoled the death of the Kanwariyas 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.

Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar also expressed grief over the accident.

"The news of the death of many devotees in the bus accident while Kanwariyas were going to Basukinath from Deoghar is extremely sad and painful. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray to Baba Bholenath for speedy recovery of the injured devotees," Gangwar posted on X.

Deoghar Sub Divisional Officer Ravi Kumar said the Kanwariyas were on their way to the Basukinath temple.

As per the Civil Surgeon, Deoghar, those who died included bus driver Subhash Turi, and others - Suman Kumari from Gaya, Piyush, Vaishali, Durgawati Devi and Janki Devi from Bettiah.