In a heart-wrenching tragedy, a passenger bus veered off the road and plummeted into a deep gorge along the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand border, claiming the lives of five people and leaving over 80 others injured. The accident occurred late evening on a treacherous mountain stretch notorious for its sharp curves and slippery conditions due to recent rains.
Eyewitnesses described a scene of utter chaos as the overcrowded bus, carrying pilgrims returning from a religious festival, lost control while navigating a hairpin bend near Narayanpur district. The vehicle somersaulted several times before coming to rest at the bottom of a 200-foot ravine. Rescue teams from both states, including NDRF personnel, battled difficult terrain and darkness to reach the site.
Local authorities confirmed that four women and one child were among the deceased, with many of the injured suffering critical fractures and head injuries. Over 50 ambulances rushed the wounded to nearby hospitals in Jagdalpur and Ranchi. Preliminary investigations point to brake failure compounded by speeding as the primary causes.
This stretch of highway has witnessed multiple fatal accidents in recent years, prompting repeated calls for infrastructure upgrades. Chief Ministers of both states expressed grief and announced ex-gratia payments of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased. As rescue operations continue, the nation mourns this preventable loss of life, underscoring the urgent need for better road safety measures in India’s accident-prone border regions.