Thirteen Maharashtra-based pilgrims were seriously injured after a tourist bus carrying them collided with a truck on the National Highway near Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi.
Among the injured persons were eight women, four men, and bus conductor Dinanath who has been reported as a resident of Almori village in UP's Bhadohi.
Other injured persons include-- Sharubai (50), Sharda Bai Ashok Rohokale (50), Heerabai Babasaheb Patel (55), Saheb Rao Kashinath (62), Jija Bhai Bhausahab Gaude (50), Bhivsen Umaji Kolate (63), Nilesh Bhausaheb Dudhade (27), Shriprakash Aatyaba Ganwde (62), Mangal Hanumant Dikale (55), Pareegabai Dinkar Phatak (60), Sureka Shivaji Nirphan (45), Asha Bai Prakash Gawde (52)-- all hailing from Maharashtra's Ahmednagar.
Incharge of the Ramna police post of Lanka police station, Amit Rai, reached the spot soon after receiving the information about the accident and said that they have taken the damaged vehicles into their custody and all the injured persons have been taken to the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Trauma Centre. Their family and relatives have been informed about the incident.
It said that the accident took place as the bus' driver allegedly dozed off while driving as many as 45 devotees from Ahmednagar who arrived in Kashi after worshipping in Prayagraj and Ayodhya. The pilgrimage later headed to Gaya in Bihar.
"The tourist bus was carrying all the devotees from Gaya and was returning to Kashi on Saturday late night when the speeding bus collided with a truck parked on the roadside near Latubir Pulia on the highway," police said.
In the accident, the front part of the bus was severely damaged with the driver trapped in it. However, the identity of the bus driver is yet to be established.
( With inputs from ANI )
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