Tragic collision: 10 devotees en route to Maha Kumbh killed in Highway accident

Devotees from Chhattisgarh's Korba district, on their way to the Maha Kumbh, were killed in a head-on collision with a bus in Prayagraj late Friday night

Prayagraj: Ten persons travelling in a Bolero car were killed in a head-on collision with a bus on a highway in the Meja police station area of Prayagraj late on Friday night, police said on Saturday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vivek Chandra Yadav said the devotees from Chhattisgarh’s Korba district were heading to the Maha Kumbh to take a dip when the Bolero they were travelling in collided head-on with a bus on the highway.

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All the 10 people travelling in the Bolero died in the accident, while those in the bus suffered minor injuries, the DCP said. While four of the deceased were identified based on their Aadhaar cards, six were identified on the basis of information provided by their relatives.

The deceased include Somnath (28), Ishwari Prasad Jaiswal (56), Bhagirathi Jaiswal (43), Santosh Soni (55), Saurabh Soni, Ajay Banjare, Ganga Das Verma, Shiva Rajput (60), Deepak Verma and Raju Sahu.

The bodies have been sent to the SRN Hospital in Prayagraj for autopsy, the DCP said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident.

In a post in Hindi on X, the Chief Minister’s office said, “UPCM @myogiadityanath has expressed deep condolences on the loss of lives in a road accident in Prayagraj district. He has expressed condolences to the bereaved families.”

“The injured have been sent to the hospital and the Chief Minister has directed the district administration to provide them with proper treatment. He has wished for the speedy recovery of the injured,” it said.