West Champaran (Gurpreet Singh): At least five men lost their lives and several others sustained injuries, including one critically, after a speeding passenger bus ploughed into a crowd attending a roadside cultural programme in Bihar’s West Champaran district late Friday night. The fatal accident occurred around 10:45 p.m. along Lauriya Marg in Parau Tola, falling under the jurisdiction of the Lauriya police station, where residents had gathered to celebrate the Chhathi ceremony of a newborn girl.
According to Narkatiyaganj Sub-Divisional Police Officer Ajay Prakash Singh, the Bettiah-bound private bus, which was travelling from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, swerved to avert a head-on collision with an oncoming truck. In the process, the driver lost control of the vehicle and veered directly into the spectators standing near the roadway, triggering severe chaos and a stampede-like situation among attendees.
Police identified the deceased victims as Bahadur Mahto, Sanjay Kumar, Bhola Dubey, Jhangur Ram, and Devender Dubey, the host of the family celebration. First responders and local residents transported the injured to nearby healthcare facilities, with one critically wounded individual undergoing intensive treatment at a medical centre in Lauriya. The bodies of the deceased were subsequently sent to a government facility for post-mortem examinations.
Law enforcement authorities have impounded both the bus and the truck involved in the incident. While both drivers took advantage of the initial commotion to flee the scene on foot, police have registered a case and initiated a targeted search operation to apprehend them. State leadership expressed profound grief over the tragedy, extending condolences to the bereaved families and directing district administrative officials to ensure comprehensive medical assistance for all injured victims.
