Jabalpur: A devastating road accident in Madhya Pradesh claimed the lives of seven pilgrims from Hyderabad who were returning from the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday morning near Sihora town in Jabalpur district when a mini traveller bus collided head-on with a lorry carrying cement. The accident happened at approximately 8:30 a.m. when the lorry, which was on the wrong side of the national highway, crashed into the speeding mini traveller, bearing the registration number AP29W1525. The impact of the collision was so severe that seven of the passengers died on the spot, while five others were critically injured and rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical care.
Authorities initially assumed that the victims were from Andhra Pradesh due to the vehicle’s registration, but further investigation revealed that all the deceased and injured belonged to Nacharam, Hyderabad. Local police and bystanders acted swiftly to rescue the injured from the mangled vehicle and shift them to medical facilities. The accident has raised serious concerns about road safety and reckless driving on national highways, particularly regarding heavy vehicles straying into the wrong lanes. The police have launched an inquiry into the incident to determine whether negligence on the part of the truck driver was responsible for the fatal crash. Meanwhile, families of the victims in Hyderabad have been informed, and arrangements are being made to transport the bodies back home.
This heartbreaking accident has cast a shadow over the return journey of thousands of pilgrims from the Maha Kumbh Mela, which witnessed an enormous gathering this year. The incident highlights the dangers of long-distance travel on congested highways, especially when reckless driving and poor road enforcement contribute to such tragedies. Authorities in both Madhya Pradesh and Telangana are coordinating efforts to assist the injured and ensure that the deceased receive a proper farewell. As prayers pour in for the victims, officials have urged drivers to exercise caution, particularly on busy highways where a single mistake can lead to irreversible loss.
