Deoghar Road Accident: 18 Kanwariyas Killed, 10 Injured During Shravani Mela in Jharkhand

Ranchi: A devastating tragedy struck the Shravani Mela in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district as 18 Kanwariyas lost their lives and 10 others were injured in a horrific road accident near Jamuniya village on Tuesday.

The mishap occurred in Mohanpur block, along the scenic yet perilous stretch near the Jamuniya River, adjacent to a Shiva-Parvati temple. Devotees were en route to offer ‘jal’ (holy water) at the sacred Baba Baidyanath Dham.

Bus-Carrying Devotees Collides Head-On With Gas Truck

The accident involved a bus carrying around 35 Kanwariyas, which collided head-on with a truck transporting gas cylinders. The impact was so severe that the bus was ripped apart, leaving a trail of destruction and despair.

Eyewitnesses described terrifying scenes, with cries for help echoing through the area as injured pilgrims remained trapped in the mangled remains of the bus.

Rescue Efforts and Medical Response

Teams from the police, ambulance services, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) arrived swiftly at the scene. Cranes were deployed to clear the wreckage, while emergency crews worked tirelessly to extract survivors and recover bodies.

The injured were rushed to primary health centres and the Deoghar Sadar Hospital, where several remain in critical condition.

Leaders Express Grief, Investigation Underway

Deoghar MP Nishikant Dubey, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressed his condolences:

“In my Lok Sabha constituency of Deoghar, during the Kanwar Yatra in the month of Shravan, 18 devotees lost their lives due to a bus and truck accident. May Baba Baidyanath Ji grant strength to their families to bear this grief.”

District and civil administration officials visited both the accident site and hospitals to supervise rescue and medical efforts.