4 devotees killed, 4 injured as speeding bus rams group in Jhalawar
Mishap occurred as devotees loaded luggage into roadside pickup after returning from Patla Peer Shrine; police suspect brake failure
Four people were killed and four others sustained injuries after a private speeding bus hit a group of devotees while they were loading luggage into a stationary pickup on the roadside after returning from Patla Peer Shrine in Jhalawar district, police said on Sunday.
Sarola SHO Budharam Choudhary said a preliminary enquiry suggested brake failure was the primary reason for the incident, which occurred around 8:30 pm on Saturday on the Patla Peer Shrine link road under the Sarola police station area.
The exact cause will be known after the investigation is complete, he said.
The deceased were identified as Rehan (20), Talib (30), Hamid Mohammed (25) and Alfez (25), all residents of Ramganjmandi town in Kota district.
According to the SHO, the bus hit the devotees returning home after offering prayers at the religious site, killing three people on the spot and critically injuring five others.
Hamid Mohammed later succumbed to his injuries at the SRG Hospital in Jhalawar early Sunday morning, he said. The SHO said three injured persons are undergoing treatment at the hospital, while another was discharged.
The bus driver fled the scene, leaving the vehicle behind, which police seized later.
Police said efforts are underway to trace and apprehend him.
The four bodies were handed over to their families after post-mortem examinations on Sunday morning. Police said further investigation is under way.
