Truck rams pilgrims’ bus in Mathura around 24 injured; 7 critical

Around two dozen pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh were injured after a truck collided with the private bus they were travelling in on a national highway in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district on Tuesday, police said.

According to officials, the pilgrims had arrived in Mathura from the districts of Sagar, Dhar, and Indore in Madhya Pradesh for a religious visit during the Purushottam month.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Peetam Pal Singh said that nearly three dozen devotees reached Mathura by train on Tuesday morning and later boarded a private bus from Mathura Junction railway station to attend a Bhagwat Katha programme at an ashram in Vrindavan.

The accident occurred near the Jaint cut on the Agra-Delhi National Highway when the bus was taking a turn and was hit by a truck approaching from the Delhi side.

The impact left around 24 passengers injured. All injured pilgrims were rushed to a nearby private hospital for treatment. While several victims were discharged after receiving first aid, seven remain in critical condition and are undergoing medical treatment, officials said.

Police have arrested the truck driver and seized the vehicle involved in the accident. Further legal proceedings are underway to determine the circumstances that led to the collision.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident.