5 Kanwariyas killed, 23 injured in bus-truck collision in Jharkhand's Deoghar

Ranchi/Deoghar/Dumka: At least five Kanwariyas were killed and 23 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, police said.

The accident occurred near the Jamuniya forest under the Mohanpur Police Station limits around 4.30 am when the bus collided with the vehicle, an officer said.

"At least five people were killed and many injured when a 32-seater bus with Kanwariyas on board collided with a truck, transporting gas cylinders, near the Jamuniya forest in Deoghar's Mohanpur," Inspector General (Dumka Zone) Shailendra Kumar Sinha told PTI.

Kanwariyas are devotees of Lord Shiva.

At least 23 Kanwariyas were injured in the accident and taken to various hospitals and nearby primary health centres, including the the Saraiyahat PHC in Dumka, another official 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.

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

Traffic Deputy SP Laxman Prasad, however, said at least nine people have lost their lives in the accident, and the injured were being sent to hospitals.