Injured Passengers Share Ordeal: Some on Phones, Others Asleep, Then a Sudden Explosion...

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A tragic accident occurred early Saturday morning on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway when a sleeper bus rammed into a sand-laden truck near Nagla Lohia cut, in Fatehabad. The bus, traveling from Varanasi to Jaipur with over 60 passengers on board, collided with the truck while overtaking, killing four passengers and leaving 29 others seriously injured. The incident took place around 5:30 am at kilometre 27 of the expressway.

The crash caused severe damage to the front of the bus, throwing passengers from their seats and onto one another. Amid the loud explosion of the collision, there were screams and cries for help. The passengers, many of whom were asleep at the time of the crash, were trapped in the wreckage. Four people were pinned in the next cabin, and villagers from nearby fields rushed to help, breaking the bus’s glass and emergency gates to rescue the injured.

Truck drivers, including Azharuddin and Nandkishore from Ajmer, also assisted in the rescue efforts by parking their trucks and helping to extricate the victims. The injured were immediately rushed to nearby hospitals and community centers by police, while others were freed with the help of a crane.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, with some passengers suggesting that the driver had dozed off while driving at high speed, which may have contributed to the crash. Police confirmed that the bus had been overtaking a slow-moving truck when the collision occurred.

The four fatalities were identified as Deepak (40) from Loha Mandi, Govind (68) from Jodhpur, Ramesh (45) from Suthala, and Bablu (40) from Jamalpur, Mirzapur. The driver of the bus fled the scene after the accident, and an investigation is underway.

The victims’ relatives, mostly from Gujarat and Mumbai, recounted the terrifying moments following the crash. Devidas, a passenger from Mumbai, described how the loud explosion and sudden crash caused chaos in the bus. Sonia Sharma from Mira Road, Mumbai, recalled how people were thrown from their seats and the sound of cries for help filled the air.

Villagers and truck drivers who were nearby provided crucial help in rescuing the injured, and their quick response likely saved many lives. Despite their efforts, the accident left a trail of devastation, as families mourn the loss of their loved ones.