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11 dead, 35 injured as bus with pilgrims hits standing truck in Bengal’s East Burdwan

The bus was going from Gangasagar to Bihar, and was carrying 45 pilgrims from the Chiraisa Saraswa Ghat area of Matia Police Station.

The driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel, causing the accident, police reports suggest

The driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel, causing the accident on NH 19 in East Burdwan, police reports suggest. (Express Photo)

A bus carrying pilgrims crashed into a parked truck on National Highway 19 in West Bengal’s East Burdwan Friday morning, leaving at least 11 people dead and 35 injured.

The bus was going from Gangasagar to Bihar, and was carrying 45 pilgrims from the Chiraisa Saraswa Ghat area of Matia Police Station.

“The accident took place on Friday morning in the Nala Ferry Ghat area of National Highway No 19 in East Burdwan,” said an official.

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Initial police reports suggest that the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel, causing the bus to lose control and collide with the back of a parked truck.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud noise and rushed to the scene to assist the victims. The police arrived shortly after, and rescue efforts are underway.

The injured have been taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Officials said they are investigating the exact cause of the accident.

Sweety Kumari

Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More

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