Fatal Bus Accident in Madhya Pradesh Claims One Life and Injures 55 Pilgrims on Narmada Parikrama Journey

Two passengers were rescued after being trapped inside the overturned vehicle for approximately two to three hours.

Barwani:

A tragic incident occurred in Madhya Pradesh's Barwani district on Friday morning when a bus carrying pilgrims on 'Narmada Parikrama' overturned, resulting in one woman's death and injuries to 55 other passengers.

The accident took place near Baigur village, approximately 80 km from the district headquarters, around 8 am. The bus was transporting 56 pilgrims from Indore and Dhar districts when the incident happened.

Barwani Superintendent of Police Jagdish Dawar told PTI, "The vehicle overturned, began skidding, and collided with a divider before coming to a complete stop. The situation could have been far more catastrophic as there was a deep gorge near the accident site, and the bus fortunately did not plunge into it."

The pilgrims had departed from Indore on October 29 for their 'Narmada Parikrama' journey. They had spent a day in Barwani before continuing their pilgrimage on Friday morning when the accident occurred.

Among the injured passengers, 15 required referral to Barwani District Hospital for treatment, while the remaining victims received medical care at the Khetia Primary Health Centre.

Rescue operations involved collaboration between local residents, the State Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF), and police from Khetia, Pansemal, and Pati police station areas who were mobilized to assist the victims.

The preliminary investigation indicated that the bus driver lost control of the vehicle, leading to the accident.

Pansemal BJP MLA Shyam Burde, who visited the accident site, stated that he had informed Chief Minister Mohan Yadav about the incident and discussed relief assistance. He added, "Local sarpanches and BJP workers helped rescue the injured and transport them to hospitals."

'Narmada Parikrama' is a sacred ritual involving the circumambulation of the holy River Narmada.