Kota expressway accident: 8 pilgrims killed as tempo traveller plunges into drain

At least eight people were killed and nine others injured after a tempo traveller carrying pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh to Rajasthan’s Khatu Shyam temple plunged nearly 20 feet into a seasonal drain on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Kota district on Saturday morning.

The accident occurred around 7 am when the vehicle broke through a road divider, fell into the drain and crashed into a wall, police said. Four passengers died at the scene, while three others succumbed to their injuries while being taken to hospital. The reported toll subsequently rose to eight.

The tempo traveller was carrying around 20 passengers, most of them residents of Betul district in Madhya Pradesh. The group had left Betul on Friday night for Khatu Shyam temple in Reengus, Sikar district.

Driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel

Seemliya Station House Officer Nand Singh said the vehicle had crossed the Karadiya toll plaza and was travelling towards Sultanpur when the driver lost control.

The impact severely damaged the front of the tempo traveller, trapping several passengers inside. Police suspect the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel, although the exact cause of the accident has not yet been established.

An investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances that led to the crash.

Rescue teams rush injured passengers to hospitals

Villagers and passers-by were among the first to reach the accident site and help the passengers. Police personnel, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) rescue workers and emergency ambulance teams subsequently joined the operation.

An NHAI crane was deployed to retrieve the badly damaged vehicle and assist with the rescue effort.

Sultanpur Block Chief Medical Officer Rajesh Samar said four ambulances were immediately sent to the site after authorities received information about the accident.

The injured were taken to the New Hospital attached to Kota Medical College and MBS Hospital in Kota for treatment. Several passengers were reported to be in critical condition.

Ashok Gehlot expresses grief

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot expressed grief over the deaths and conveyed his condolences to the victims’ families.

In a post on X, Gehlot described the news of people losing their lives in the minibus accident in the Simliya police station area of Kota district as deeply saddening and heartbreaking.

He extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, prayed for their strength in coping with the loss and wished the injured a speedy recovery.