Bhubaneswar/Ranchi: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday expressed grief over death of 18 Kanwariyas in a devastating road accident near Jamuniya village in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic accident in Deoghar, Jharkhand, that claimed the lives of several Kanwariyas. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May Mahaprabhu Jagannath and Baba Baidyanath grant eternal peace to the departed souls, give strength to their families, and bless the injured with a swift and full recovery,” the CM posted on X.
The incident took place when a bus carrying 35 Kanwariyas collided head-on with a truck transporting gas cylinders near Jamuniya forest under Mohanpur police station limits at around 4.30 am. They were en route to Deoghar for offering ‘jal’ (holy water) at Baba Baidyanath Dham.
Initial reports suggested that six devotees were killed and 24 were injured in the accident. Deoghar deputy commissioner Naman Priyesh Lakra told the media that eight of the 24 injured have been shifted to AIIMS, Deoghar, while the remaining are undergoing treatment at Sadar Hospital.
Godda MP Nishikant Dubey, later in a post on X, claimed that 18 people died in the road accident. “In my Lok Sabha constituency of Deoghar, 18 devotees lost their lives in a tragic accident involving a bus and a truck during the Kanwar Yatra in the holy month of Shravan,” he wrote.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren also expressed grief over the tragedy. “This morning, extremely sad news was received about the death of devotees traveling in a bus accident near Jamunia Chowk in the Mohanpur block of Deoghar. The district administration is providing relief and rescue operations along with medical facilities for the injured. May Baba Baidyanath grant peace to the souls of the devotees who died in the accident and give strength to the grieving families to bear this hour of sorrow,” he said.