Patna: A bus travelling from Delhi to Bihar overturned on a national highway in the eastern state on Monday morning, injuring more than two dozen passengers and prompting a large-scale rescue effort by local authorities.
The vehicle, which was en route to Chhapra, lost control at about 11am near the Barhima toll plaza on NH-27 in Gopalganj district, police said. It veered off the road and fell into a roadside ditch, triggering panic among those on board.
At least 24 passengers were injured, several of them seriously. Emergency services, aided by local residents, pulled survivors from the overturned bus and transported them to the district’s Sadar hospital. A mechanical excavator was used to help retrieve the vehicle from the ditch.
Among those injured were Chandraprakash, 32, from Panapur village in neighbouring Saran district; his wife, Preeti Kumari, 28; and their two young children, aged two and three. Another passenger, Dharmendra Kumar from Vaishali district, was also among those hurt. Authorities said dozens of others sustained injuries of varying severity.
Hospital officials described chaotic scenes as a large number of casualties arrived within a short period. Medical teams began treatment immediately, while patients in critical condition were being prepared for transfer to higher-level facilities.
Police officers reached the site shortly after the crash and brought the situation under control. Preliminary findings suggest the driver lost control of the vehicle, though an investigation is ongoing.
Rajesh Kumar, a sub-divisional police officer, was at the scene overseeing rescue and relief operations, officials said.
