At least two women lost their lives and several others were injured after a private bus carrying devotees overturned near Gondal in Gujarat’s Rajkot district early on Monday morning.
The deceased, identified as a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law from the same family, died in the accident. Officials said at least five passengers sustained critical injuries and were shifted to hospitals in Rajkot for advanced treatment.
According to preliminary reports, the private bus bearing registration number GJ18U9985 had left Gondal’s Bhojrajpara area on Sunday for a religious tour covering Bagdana, Alki Kotda, Rajpara and Bhaguda.
The accident occurred around 4.30 am while the bus was returning through the narrow road between Vora Kotda and Bandra.
Police said the driver allegedly lost control while reversing the bus to make way for an oncoming truck on the single-lane road, causing the vehicle to overturn into a roadside ditch.
Around 62 passengers, including women, children and elderly devotees, were travelling in the bus at the time of the incident.
Hearing the cries for help, local villagers and volunteers from charitable organisations rushed to the spot and began rescue operations by breaking the bus windows to free trapped passengers.
Emergency teams, including 108 EMRI ambulance services and municipal rescue personnel, shifted the injured passengers to Gondal Civil Hospital for treatment.