India

Eight Dead After Tempo Traveller Plunges Into Drain on Delhi‑Mumbai Expressway

By HT Correspondent

A tempo traveller carrying about 25 pilgrims from Betul district, Madhya Pradesh, to the Khatu Shyam temple in Reengus, Sikar district, Rajasthan, crashed into a seasonal drain on the Delhi‑Mumbai Expressway in Kota district on Saturday morning. The vehicle broke through a road divider, fell nearly 20 feet into the drain and struck a wall, killing eight passengers and injuring 17 others. Seven of the deceased were identified as Aruna, Vaishnavi, Trisha, Krishna, Anita, Om Suryavanshi and Raju; the eighth victim’s identity is still unknown. Among the injured are Hemlata Gaikwad, Ajay, Vanshika, Monisha, Chitresh, Saransh, Chetan, Krishvi, Vaidhi, Neelu, Santosh, Varsha and Kamlesh. Police say the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel, though the exact cause remains unclear. The accident occurred between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m.; four passengers died on the spot and four others died en route to the hospital. The bodies were taken to Kota and kept in the mortuary. Rescue efforts involved police, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) teams, ambulances and a crane to recover the vehicle. The injured were transported to the New Hospital attached to Kota Medical College and to MBS Hospital. NHAI attributed the crash to suspected driver fatigue and excessive speed, noting the vehicle was moving at high speed in the overtaking lane when the driver dozed off. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla visited the hospital, directed the Kota District Collector and Superintendent of Police to form a special investigation committee, and announced a road safety study on the expressway. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot both expressed condolences and pledged support for the families and the injured.