Tarn Taran: Five people, including four pilgrims, were killed and more than 15 others injured after two Punjab government-run pilgrimage buses collided head-on on National Highway-54 near Naushehra Pannuan in Tarn Taran district on Saturday evening, officials said.
The buses were carrying pilgrims under the state government’s 'Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme', with 37 people travelling in them.
Tarn Taran Deputy Commissioner Nirmal Ossephchan said four people died on the spot, while one of the six passengers referred to Amritsar succumbed to injuries later.
Five seriously injured passengers were undergoing treatment at Guru Nanak Dev Medical College and Hospital in Amritsar, while the remaining injured were admitted to the Civil Hospital in Tarn Taran, he said.
Earlier, Senior Superintendent of Police Surendra Lamba said a motorcycle pillion rider was among those killed in the accident.
The accident occurred when the driver of one of the buses, in an attempt to avoid a motorcycle, crossed the road divider and collided with an oncoming bus travelling in the opposite direction.
One bus was travelling from Faridkot to Amritsar, while the other was going from Amritsar to Muktsar.
The impact of the collision was severe, damaging the front portions of both buses and leaving several passengers injured, with some trapped inside the wreckage.
Local residents rushed to the spot and began rescue operations, pulling passengers trapped inside the damaged buses to safety.
The deputy commissioner said teams from the civil and police administration, the Road Safety Force and ambulances reached the spot soon after receiving information about the accident and launched rescue operations.
He said he, along with the SSP, visited the accident site to take stock of the situation and also enquired about the condition of the injured admitted to the Civil Hospital.
In a post on X, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said he had received distressing news about the accident involving pilgrimage buses near Naushehra Pannuan.
“I am deeply saddened to learn that four have lost their lives in this tragic accident,” he said.
The police and administration were engaged in relief and rescue operations, and strict instructions had been issued to officials to ensure that the injured received the best possible medical treatment without delay, Mann said.
He also expressed condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Congress MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring described the accident as heartbreaking and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
"May Waheguru give them strength to bear this irreparable loss and bless those injured with a speedy recovery," Warring said in a post on X.
Both buses were carrying pilgrims under the state government’s 'Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme', under which people aged 50 years and above are eligible to undertake pilgrimages.
The Punjab government provides air-conditioned sleeper bus travel, accommodation and food free of cost to eligible pilgrims.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)