18 Kanwariyas Killed in Jharkhand Bus-Truck Collision During Shravan Pilgrimage

Eighteen Kanwariyas were killed and several injured after their bus collided with a gas-laden truck in Jharkhand's Deoghar district. The pilgrims were en route to Basukinath temple during the Kanwar Yatra. Authorities fear the death toll may rise as many injured remain critical. Rescue operations are underway.

A tragic road accident in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district claimed the lives of at least 18 Kanwariyas early Tuesday morning. The pilgrims were en route to the Basukinath temple when the bus they were travelling in collided with a truck carrying cooking gas cylinders near the Jamuniya forest, within the Mohanpur Police Station limits.

The incident occurred around 4:30 am, according to police sources. Initial reports from Dumka Zone Inspector General Shailendra Kumar Sinha confirmed five deaths, though the toll rose quickly as several injured pilgrims succumbed to their injuries. Authorities fear the number may increase further due to the critical condition of multiple passengers.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who represents the Godda constituency that includes Deoghar, expressed condolences on social media. “In my Lok Sabha constituency of Deoghar, 18 devotees lost their lives in a tragic accident… May Baba Baidyanath give strength to their families to bear this grief,” he wrote on X.

Deoghar sub-divisional officer Ravi Kumar confirmed that the pilgrims were Kanwariyas—devotees of Lord Shiva—undertaking the annual Kanwar Yatra during the holy month of Shravan. The group was reportedly heading toward Basukinath, one of the key religious sites in the region.

Rescue operations began soon after the incident, with emergency services rushing the injured to nearby hospitals. The gas-laden truck has raised further concerns, although no explosion or gas leak was reported at the scene.

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This is the latest in a series of accidents involving Kanwar Yatra participants across India this season. Officials have reiterated calls for stricter transport safety checks and better coordination during religious pilgrimages, especially on narrow or forested routes.