Patna, Feb 26 (NationPress) A tragic incident occurred in Bihar's Rohtas district early Thursday, resulting in the death of one individual and injuries to 21 others when a reckless truck collided with a bus filled with pilgrims. The collision took place around 3 a.m. near Jamuhar on National Highway-19, within the area overseen by the Dehri Mufassil police station.

Police reports indicate that the truck repeatedly struck the bus from the side, dragging it for nearly two kilometers before fleeing the scene, leaving passengers injured and the vehicle severely damaged.

An elderly passenger was pronounced dead at the scene, while the remaining individuals suffered various injuries and were promptly transported to receive medical care.

The Station House Officer (SHO) of the Dehri Mufassil police station confirmed the event, noting that a police patrol vehicle was already on the highway and arrived quickly after receiving news of the incident.

“Our patrol unit was already on National Highway-19. Upon receiving the accident report, our team swiftly reached the location to assist the victims,” stated the SHO.

Bus driver Sonu Kumar relayed that the truck continuously hit the bus and failed to stop, despite the passengers frantically attempting to alert the truck driver for help.

“A truck was ahead of us, and it hit the bus three times from the side before dragging us for about two kilometers. There were 22 individuals on board,” Sonu Kumar recounted.

All passengers were pilgrims from Tamil Nadu who had traveled to Varanasi and were en route to Gaya for a religious pilgrimage.

The group belonged to the Gayatri Parivar and hailed from the Adamba and Alampur regions of Tamil Nadu, as confirmed by the police.

The bus contained 22 passengers, including nine women and one child, all of whom sustained injuries in the accident, except for the elderly passenger who tragically lost his life.

“We heard a deafening noise, and suddenly the bus was being pulled by a truck. Everyone was injured. An elderly person died in the accident,” recounted Srilata, an injured pilgrim.

The deceased has been identified as Ramo, a resident of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, with his identity confirmed through documents retrieved by the police.

His body is being sent to Sasaram for a post-mortem examination in line with legal protocols, according to police officials.

All injured individuals have been admitted to Narayan Medical College and Hospital for treatment, with doctors actively monitoring their conditions.

The police have notified the deceased's family and initiated a search operation to locate the fleeing truck and its driver, while a thorough investigation into the incident is ongoing.