Patna: A woman has died and at least 25 people have been injured after a bus carrying pilgrims plunged into a 20-foot ravine along the Bakhtiyarpur–Mokama four-lane highway in Bihar early on Friday.
The bus, which was returning from Ayodhya to Simaria Ganga Ghat, veered off the road near Bahrpur village at about 4.30am and fell into a deep roadside ditch. Police said the vehicle – carrying 40 people, including 38 pilgrims – was being driven by its owner, Vaidyanath Prasad, who is suspected to have dozed off during the overnight journey.
The impact left the bus badly mangled and trapped several passengers inside. Local residents reported hearing a loud crash before rushing to the scene to help rescue people from the wreckage.
A 60-year-old woman, Dhaneshwari Devi, from Tardih village in Madhubani district, died at the scene. Her family has been notified, police said. The injured have been taken to Mokama trauma centre, with some in serious condition expected to be transferred to Patna for further treatment.
Police and local volunteers used ambulances and private vehicles to move the injured from the ravine. The body of the deceased has been sent to Barh for a postmortem examination.
Officers said initial findings point to driver fatigue as a likely cause of the crash. Frequent accidents on the Mokama four-lane have prompted renewed concerns about road safety, with locals reporting inadequate railings and poor warning signage at the bend where the bus fell.
