PUNJAB: Five people were killed and several others injured after two buses collided head on, on the National Highway 54 near Naushehra Pannuan in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district. The accident happened on the evening of Saturday, November 14.
The accident occurred around 4 pm when the driver of one of the buses reportedly swerved to avoid a motorcycle and lost control of the vehicle. The bus crossed the road divider and collided with another bus approaching from the opposite direction.
Both buses were carrying pilgrims under the state government's Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme. The impact damaged the front portions of both vehicles, leaving several passengers injured, with some trapped inside the wreckage.
The five deceased included four pilgrims, while more than 15 people sustained injuries. Five seriously injured passengers were referred to Guru Nanak Dev Medical College and Hospital in Amritsar for treatment.
Local residents rushed to the accident site and helped rescue passengers trapped inside the damaged buses. Police, district administration officials and emergency teams also reached the spot to assist in rescue operations. The injured were taken to hospitals in Tarn Taran and Amritsar for treatment.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed grief over the incident in a post on X. He said the police and administration were carrying out relief and rescue operations and that officials had been directed to ensure the injured received the best possible medical treatment without delay. He also extended condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the accident in a post shared by the Prime Minister's Office on X.
(With inputs from media reports)