Firozabad: At least 40 devotees from Chhattisgarh returning from the Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra were injured after the bus they were traveling in met with an accident in the Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh in the early hours of Saturday, an official said. It is suspected that the accident happened due to the driver dozing off.
The accident took place near milestone number 51 on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Nasirpur police station area of Firozabad district. According to the police, there were about 65 pilgrims in the bus that met with the accident, who were going to Chhattisgarh after visiting Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. At 3.30 in the morning, the bus went out of control and overturned due to the driver dozing off, an official said. At least 40 passengers were injured in the accident, some of whom are said to be critical.
Police and UPDA rushed to the spot soon after the accident and admitted the injured to the medical colleges of Saifai and Firozabad. After the accident, the passengers raised a hue and cry even as passersby rushed to the spot to launch a rescue operation.
In-charge Inspector Nasirpur Sher Singh said that the accident probably happened due to the driver falling asleep. The victims of the accident have been admitted to the hospital, he said adding all the injured devotees are residents of Chhattisgarh. The accident vehicle has been removed from the spot, the police officer said.
It was not immediately known whether police have arrested the erring driver of the bus or have they registered a case against him. Further details into the case are awaited.
