Five people, including a bus driver and three pilgrims, were killed, while 29 were injured after two Punjab government buses operating under the Mukhyamantri Tirath Yatra Scheme collided head-on near Naushehra Pannuan village on National Highway 54 in Tarn Taran district on Saturday.
Tarn Taran deputy commissioner Dr Nirmal Ouseppachan said four people died on the spot, while one of the six passengers referred to Amritsar succumbed to injuries later.
Of the injured victims, 18 are reported to be in critical condition. Among those critical, five are admitted to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital (Government Medical College), Amritsar, while the others are being treated at the Tarn Taran civil hospital.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Surendra Lamba said a female motorcycle pillion rider was among those killed in the accident.
One bus was travelling to Faridkot via National Highway 54, while the other was moving toward Amritsar in the other direction.
Eyewitnesses said the tragedy unfolded when a motorcycle attempted to cross the highway through a cut near Naushehra Pannuan. To avoid hitting the motorcyclists, the driver of the Faridkot-bound bus swerved sharply and crossed into the opposite lane.
The bus collided head-on with another Mukhyamantri Tirath Yatra bus, which was travelling from Bheediwal village towards Amritsar.
{{/usCountry}}The bus collided head-on with another Mukhyamantri Tirath Yatra bus, which was travelling from Bheediwal village towards Amritsar.
{{/usCountry}}The impact of the collision was severe, damaging the front portions of both buses, and leaving several passengers injured and trapped inside the wreckage.
Local residents and shopkeepers rushed to the spot to rescue the trapped passengers and alert the authorities.
Deputy commissioner Dr Nirmal Ouseppachan said upon receiving information, civil and police administration teams, the Road Safety Force, and ambulances immediately reached the spot and initiated rescue operations.
The deputy commissioner, along with SSP Surendra Lamba, also visited the accident scene to assess the situation and enquired about the well-being of the injured admitted to the Tarn Taran civil hospital.
He added that further action was being taken in coordination with the deputy commissioners of Faridkot and Muktsar.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann expressed grief over the accident, saying he was deeply saddened by the loss of five lives. In a post on X, Mann said the police and administration were engaged in relief operations at the site and that officials had been directed to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured.
“In this difficult hour of grief, I stand in deep solidarity with the affected families... I pray to Waheguru for the injured to recover soon,” he wrote.
In Amritsar, deputy commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh, along with SDM Alka Kalia, also met the injured persons. The deputy commissioner directed the doctors to ensure that there was no negligence or shortcoming in the treatment of the injured and that all necessary medical facilities were provided to them.
He also instructed the officials of the Red Cross, Amritsar, to ensure proper arrangements for food and refreshments for the patients admitted to the hospital.
Launched in November last year, the Mukhyamantri Tirath Yatra Scheme is an initiative of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led state government that provides Punjab residents aged 50 years and above free pilgrimage trips to religious destinations. The pilgrims are provided air-conditioned buses, accommodation in air-conditioned hotels and complimentary meals.