CHANDIGARH: Six persons were killed and at least 21 others were injured after a bus carrying Baisakhi devotees overturned near Fatehgarh Sahib while returning from Anandpur Sahib late on Tuesday night.
The bus developed a technical snag while returning from Anandpur Sahib in Rupnagar district, after devotees paid obeisance on the occasion of Baisakhi.
The driver lost control of the vehicle and the bus rammed into an electric pole near Main Majri village in Bassi Pathana around 10 pm on Tuesday.
An injured woman said the bus suddenly overturned when it was about to reach Main Majri village.
It is learnt that the locals rushed to the spot and rescued several passengers trapped inside the overturned bus. The police and emergency teams reached the site soon after receiving information.
Fatehgarh Sahib Deputy Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar said that six people died in the accident, while twenty-one passengers were injured.
The injured were initially shifted to hospitals in Morinda and Fatehgarh Sahib, while those critically injured have been referred to the PGIMER in Chandigarh for advanced treatment.
Senior Superintendent of Police of Fatehgarh Sahib Shubham Agarwal said that a group of devotees from Bassi had gone to Anandpur Sahib to pay their obedience on Baisakhi, and on the way back the bus reportedly developed a mechanical fault and met with an accident.
Bassi Pathana MLA Rupinder Singh, who reached the spot on Tuesday night, said all the devotees were from Main Majri village.
Expressing grief over the accident, Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring wrote on X, "Deeply saddened by the tragic bus accident near Bassi Pathana while devotees were returning from Anandpur Sahib. Heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. May Waheguru give strength to the bereaved families in this difficult time."
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia said, "Deeply saddened to hear about the death of 6 devotees in the tragic bus accident when devotees were returning from Sri Anandpur Sahib on Baisakhi. I pray before Waheguru Ji to grant eternal peace to the departed souls, give strength to the bereaved to bear this sorrow, and wish a speedy recovery to the injured."