Patna, Feb 3 At least 12 devotees were left injured on Monday when a pickup van they were travelling in crashed into an electric pole in Bihar's Buxar district, police said.
Among the injured, three of them are minor children.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Monday at the Rampur village under the jurisdiction of the Chausa police station.
The injured were immediately taken to the Primary Health Centre in Chausa block, where five of them, were referred to the Sadar Hospital for better treatment.
The devotees, residents of Chhapra in Bihar's Saran district, were returning from Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj after taking a holy bath in the Maha Kumbh at the Triveni Sangam when the mishap occurred.
While the exact cause of the accident is still under investigation, initial reports suggest that the driver may have fallen asleep for a few seconds, leading to the crash.
The police are further probing the incident.
According to local residents, a loud noise alerted them of the crash, and upon rushing to the spot, they found the vehicle severely damaged with passengers screaming for help.
The vehicle crashed the electric pole at the Rampur village.
The Village locals immediately informed the Dial 112 emergency response team, which arrived promptly and, with the help of locals, transported the injured to the Chausa Primary Health Centre.
Seven people, including three children, sustained minor injuries, while five were referred to the Sadar Hospital for advanced medical care.
Chausa police station Station House Officer confirmed the sequence of events, stating, "As soon as we received information, our team reached the spot and ensured that all injured individuals received medical attention."
Doctors at the Sadar Hospital have reported that all victims are currently out of danger but remain under close observation of the medical experts.
If necessary, the victims will be referred to a higher medical centre for specialised treatment, they said.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, with initial suspicion pointing to the driver briefly dozing off.
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