Bus with Nepalese pilgrims on board hit by truck in Bihar, 35 injured          

Samastipur, August 25

At least 35 Nepalese pilgrims suffered injuries when the bus in which they were travelling was hit by a speeding truck in Bihar's Samastipur district in the wee hours of Sunday, police said.

The bus from neighbouring Nepal fell on its side after the truck rammed into it at Musrigharari crossing on National Highway-28. The pilgrims were going to Deoghar district in Jharkhand to offer puja in a temple.

Most of the passengers suffered minor injuries and were discharged from a local hospital after the first aid, a police officer said.

"Only two passengers who sustained grievous injuries were sent to another hospital. They were also released later," Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Samastipur-Sadar-1, Sanjay Kumar Pandey, told PTI.

According to eyewitnesses, the truck hit the bus from the rear side.

"Immediately after receiving the information, officials from the local police station reached the spot and rescued the passengers from inside the damaged bus and took them to hospital," Pandey said.

Another police official said the injured pilgrims were residents of Muktipalia village in Bara district of Nepal.