At least 12 pilgrims were killed and more than 15 others injured after a canter carrying devotees overturned on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district early Monday.
The accident took place at around 1 am between Basi and Bada villages under Khekra Kotwali, around 15 km from Baghpat district headquarters. The canter was carrying 32 pilgrims from Budaun who were returning home after visiting Bagad Dham, also known as Gogamedi, in Rajasthan.
According to police, the vehicle hit a divider and overturned. The sudden crash caused panic among the passengers, many of whom were reportedly asleep at the time.
Police and emergency teams rushed to the spot after receiving information about the accident. The injured were taken to Baghpat district hospital, where doctors initially declared six people dead.
A doctor at the hospital said 22 injured passengers were brought in for treatment. Eighteen of them were later referred to a medical facility in Meerut because of the seriousness of their injuries. Six more people subsequently died while undergoing treatment at a medical college in Meerut, taking the death toll to 12.
Among those identified as dead were Munni Devi, 55, Sugadpal, 40, Sadhu, 60, Rameshwar Yadav, 60, Premsingh, 40, and seven-year-old Jitendra. Authorities were working to identify the remaining victims.
An injured passenger, Kunwarpal, said most of the devotees were sleeping when they heard a loud impact and the vehicle suddenly overturned. He said the driver claimed that a vehicle approaching from behind had collided with the canter, causing it to lose balance.
Police are investigating the exact circumstances and cause of the crash.
The pilgrims had travelled together from the same village in Budaun for the Rajasthan pilgrimage. Villager Vimlesh Kumar Yadav said residents had been making such pilgrimages for nearly two decades and had not faced a major incident in their earlier journeys.
Bagad Dham in Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district is a popular pilgrimage site associated with Jaharveer Baba Goga Ji Maharaj. Large numbers of devotees visit the shrine during August and September.
Baghpat District Magistrate Asmita Lal and Superintendent of Police Suraj Rai visited the district hospital following the accident. They met the injured and instructed doctors and officials to ensure timely and proper medical treatment.
The crash has left several families in mourning, with authorities continuing to assess the condition of those injured and investigate what caused the vehicle to overturn.
Reader Comments 0