Four Pilgrims Killed as Two Teerth Yatra Buses Collide in Tarn Taranਤਰਨ ਤਾਰਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਤੀਰਥ ਯਾਤਰਾ ਬੱਸਾਂ ਦੀ ਟੱਕਰ, 4 ਸ਼ਰਧਾਲੂਆਂ ਦੀ ਮੌਤ

Four pilgrims were killed and at least 18 others injured on Saturday afternoon when two buses of the Punjab government's Mukh Mantri Teerth Yatra scheme collided head-on near Naushera Pannuan in Tarn Taran district. The crash happened at about 4 pm on National Highway 54, as one bus tried to avoid a motorcyclist crossing the highway and veered into the path of the bus coming the other way. Police and medical teams rushed to the spot, and the injured were taken to Tarn Taran Civil Hospital, where doctors said 10 of them were in critical condition.

How the collision happened

According to early reports, the first bus was carrying pilgrims from Ferozepur to Sri Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar when a motorcyclist suddenly appeared in front of it near Naushera Pannuan. The driver braked hard and swerved to avoid the rider, but the bus crossed the central divider and crashed head-on into a second Teerth Yatra bus travelling from Harike to Amritsar. The impact crushed the front of both buses. TV9 Punjabi reported that about 37 people were travelling in one of the buses. Eyewitnesses described a scene of panic as passengers trapped inside the mangled vehicles called for help, and passers-by stopped to pull the injured out before ambulances arrived.

Rescue and hospital response

Senior Superintendent of Police Surendra Lamba said police teams were sent to the site at once and relief work began immediately. Civil Surgeon Dr Sandeep Dhawan declared an emergency at Tarn Taran Civil Hospital and asked for as many ambulances as possible to be rushed to the crash site. The bodies of the four people killed were brought to the hospital, and the injured were admitted for treatment. Doctors said 10 of the injured were in critical condition. The identities of those killed had not been formally released by the administration at the time of reporting, and officials said the casualty figures were based on early reports. A local political leader, Balbir Singh Pandhi, who reached the spot, said the force of the collision had badly damaged both buses.

The pilgrimage scheme

Both buses belonged to the Mukh Mantri Teerth Yatra scheme, the state government's free pilgrimage programme that ferries devotees to religious places including Sri Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. The buses were running their regular pilgrimage routes when the crash happened. The scheme carries thousands of pilgrims from villages and towns across Punjab every week, and Saturday's crash is among the worst accidents involving its buses. Police said an investigation into the exact cause of the crash has begun, including whether speed or road conditions played a part.

What happens next

Police said a case would be registered after the inquiry, and the district administration was coordinating help for the families of the dead and injured. The hospital said it would update the condition of the injured through the night. The crash comes days after another bus accident in Sangrur district, where a PRTC bus hit an overbridge and three people were killed, adding to concern about road safety on Punjab's highways during the pilgrimage season.

How many people died in the Tarn Taran bus crash?

Four pilgrims were killed on the spot, and at least 18 others were injured, 10 of them critically, according to early reports from the site.

Which buses were involved in the crash?

Both buses were part of the Mukh Mantri Teerth Yatra scheme. One was carrying pilgrims from Ferozepur to Amritsar, and the other was travelling from Harike to Amritsar.

What caused the collision?

Police said the first bus swerved to avoid a motorcyclist crossing the highway, crossed the divider and hit the oncoming bus head-on. An investigation is under way.