In a tragic series of accidents, at least 10 people were killed and 19 others injured when a car carrying Maha Kumbh devotees from Chhattisgarh collided with a bus on the Prayagraj-Mirzapur highway around midnight on Friday.

The crash, which occurred around 2 AM near the Meja police station in Prayagraj, involved a Bolero car carrying devotees from Korba, Chhattisgarh, who were en route to take a holy dip at the Sangam. The bus, carrying pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh's Rajgarh, was also involved in the accident. Authorities suspect that the Bolero’s driver may have dozed off, leading to the fatal collision.

DCP Yamunanagar Vivek Chandra Yadav confirmed that the deceased's bodies were sent to Swaroop Rani Nehru Medical Hospital for post-mortem, and further investigations were underway. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the incident and directed officials to expedite relief efforts and ensure proper medical care for the injured.

Second Fatal Crash in Two Days

On Tuesday, another seven Maha Kumbh devotees lost their lives when their mini-bus collided with a truck in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district. The victims were pilgrims returning to Andhra Pradesh from Prayagraj when the truck, allegedly driving on the wrong side of the highway, rammed into their vehicle near Jabalpur, around 8:30 AM.

According to District Collector Deepak Kumar Saxena, the crash took place 65 km from Jabalpur’s district headquarters. Eyewitnesses claimed that the truck was moving in the wrong direction, causing the fatal head-on collision. Several passengers were left trapped in the mangled vehicle.

Third Tragic Incident in Bihar

Adding to the spate of road tragedies, a separate accident in Bihar’s Kaimur district claimed three more lives when a truck collided with an auto near Muthani, under the Mohania police station limits, in the early hours of Tuesday. The victims were also returning from the Maha Kumbh Mela.

The series of fatal accidents has raised concerns over road safety for pilgrims traveling to and from the Maha Kumbh Mela. Authorities have been urged to increase highway patrolling and enforce stricter traffic regulations to prevent further tragedies.