Officials reported that at least six individuals lost their lives and several were injured when an out-of-control truck crashed into a vehicle transporting devotees back from Prayagraj’s Maha Kumbh Mela in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday evening.
Initial reports indicate that the victims hailed from Bansgaon village in Gorakhpur. The accident was caused by a truck that was operated by an unknown driver who promptly escaped the location after the collision. The authorities have initiated a search for the driver, as the injured individuals are still undergoing treatment for their wounds.
The incident occurred in the Kusmi Kala region close to the Nandganj police station. The pickup truck allegedly carried about 20 passengers when the accident occurred.
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All the wounded have been shifted to Ghazipur Medical College for care. The District Magistrate, accompanied by police and administrative officers, has arrived at the location and is supervising rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, the truck driver escaped the area following the accident.
This horrific accident follows another devastating tragedy at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj just days earlier.
A stampede in the Sangam area, which occurred during the Mauni Amavasya, claimed the lives of at least 30 people, and left 60 others injured.
Mauni Amavasya is one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar, with millions of pilgrims gathering to take a holy dip at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers.