PRAYAGRAJ/RAIPUR/AGRA/VADODARA: At least 16 Maha Kumbh pilgrims lost their lives and 28 others sustained injuries in four separate road accidents in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, with 10 devotees from Korba in Chhattisgarh dying when their SUV crashed into a private bus on Prayagraj-Mirzapur highway. The casualties in the latest mishaps reported since Friday night have taken the death toll to 121 since Maha Kumbh started on Jan 13.
The pilgrims from Korba were barely an hour away from Prayagraj when their Bolero collided head-on with the bus, which was ferrying 19 Maha Kumbh devotees back to Varanasi, near Meja town.
Initial police investigations revealed the accident took place as the SUV driver lost his balance after he dozed off behind the wheel. The bus driver braked hard and tried to swerve out of the way, but the speeding Bolero came on at full speed and crashed into it. All 10 occupants of the SUV died on the spot, said Korba collector Ajeet Vasant.
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai and his UP counterpart Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the deaths and directed officials to ensure the families get all help.