Jaipur, Jan 20 (NationPress) A devastating road mishap on the Jaisalmer Highway in Jodhpur resulted in the tragic deaths of four individuals and left 24 others injured after a private bus collided with a tanker carrying gypsum on Tuesday evening.

The incident took place near the Mulanada royalty checkpoint within the jurisdiction of the Rajiv Gandhi Nagar police station. Reports indicate that the condition of two injured passengers remains critical.

In a separate but equally tragic event, a young motorcyclist suffered a severed leg after being struck by the speeding tanker just moments before the tanker crashed into the bus.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (Pratap Nagar) Ravindra Bothra, the bus was transporting 47 passengers, including women and children, from the Aravalli and Sabarkantha districts of Gujarat. These pilgrims were returning from their visit to the Baba Ramdev Temple in Ramdevra.

The collision occurred at approximately 4:30 PM, when the tanker, reportedly traveling at an excessive speed from the opposite direction, first collided with a motorcycle before crashing head-on into the bus.

The force of the impact was so intense that both vehicles sustained significant damage, leaving several passengers trapped inside the bus.

Local residents quickly rushed to the scene and alerted police and ambulance services. Rescue teams labored for over an hour to free the injured passengers from the wreckage of the bus.

A total of 28 injured individuals were transported to Mathuradas Mathur Hospital. Following medical examinations, four passengers were pronounced dead: Rawal Vinu (50), son of Chiman, a resident of Sabarkantha; Suresh (36), son of Lala, a resident of Talukantha; and two residents from Modasa, Jayesh and Vinu, both from the Aravalli district. Medical professionals have indicated that the condition of two victims remains critical, while the others are receiving treatment.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the accident, with preliminary findings suggesting that the tanker’s overspeeding was a major contributing factor.

Traffic on the Jaisalmer Highway experienced disruptions for a period, but it has since been restored.

Officials are urging motorists to adhere to traffic regulations and avoid overspeeding, particularly in areas of the highway that are frequented by heavy vehicles.