Patna: In a horrific road accident, four people died and 15 others were seriously injured in Bhagalpur district on Tuesday evening. The accident occurred near Bagdi Bridge in the Kharik police station area of Naugachia when a passenger bus collided head-on with an e-rickshaw and a mini pickup van.According to preliminary reports, a speeding bus first rammed into a pickup van, causing the vehicle to lose control and spin into the path of an oncoming e-rickshaw. Moments later, the bus ran over the workers who had fallen on the highway. Four occupants of the e-rickshaw died on the spot. At least 13 of the injured victims are receiving treatment at Mayaganj Hospital in Bhagalpur, while two others, in critical condition, were referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) for advanced care.Of the deceased, two have been identified so far. One hailed from Katihar district and the other from Mansi in Khagaria district. Authorities are working to ascertain the identities of the remaining victims.Bhagalpur DM Naval Kishore Chaudhary visited Mayaganj Hospital along with SSP Pramod Kumar. The DM confirmed that a collision took place between a bus and two small vehicles in the Naugachia area, resulting in four fatalities. He reiterated that efforts to identify the unidentified deceased are ongoing.Upon receiving information, personnel from Kharik and Jhandapur police stations reached the spot and cleared the traffic jam until late at night. All three vehicles involved in the accident were impounded.Prashant Kumar, SHO of Jhandapur, said the bus was travelling from Khagaria to Naugachia when it collided with an e-rickshaw and a van. “It was not clear in which direction the other two vehicles were travelling. Among the deceased was one minor boy. Most of the victims are labourers at a brick kiln,” he told TOI.
