Rewa: An official reported on Saturday that a bus travelling toward Uttar Pradesh collided with a truck that was stationary in the Rewa region of Madhya Pradesh, resulting in 15 fatalities and more than 35 other injuries, some of them serious.
The accident occurred while the bus travelled from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, to Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, between 10:30 and 11:00 p.m.
According to reports, all passengers on the bus are Uttar Pradesh residents.
The accident occurred around 11.30 pm on Friday near Teonthar town, Rewa collector Manoj Pushp said, adding, "The bus was on its way to Gorakhpur (in UP) from Hyderabad when it collided with a stationary trailer-truck on national highway (NH) 30 near Sohagi Ghati area."
While 12 persons were killed on the spot, two others succumbed while being taken to a hospital from Teonthar to Rewa. One more person succumbed to injuries at the hospital in Rewa, he said.
"Fifteen persons were killed in the accident, which left more than 35 others injured," Rewa district's superintendent of police said.
After being alerted about the incident, police personnel from Sohagi rushed to the site and launched a rescue operation.
The majority of the bus passengers were labourers, who were on their way home for the Diwali festival, eyewitnesses said.
While most of the injured persons were rushed to a hospital in Teonthar, those who suffered serious injuries were shifted to Rewa, the superintendent added.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan spoke to his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath and briefed him about the accident. Chouhan informed the UP chief minister that the seriously injured persons are undergoing treatment in a government medical college in Rewa. The Madhya Pradesh government will bear the cost of treatment of the injured persons, Chouhan told the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, an official said.
Those who suffered minor injuries were given preliminary treatment and later sent to Prayagraj on another bus. The bodies of the victims are also being sent to Prayagraj, he added.
With PTI inputs